Qatar Opposes Permanent Fees for Hormuz Strait, Open to Negotiating Temporary Transit Charges

Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated on Saturday that permanent charges will affect consumers, and Qatar opposes any measures to impose such fees. However, he noted that short-term charges for purposes like demining could be considered. "Qatar and partner countries in the Gulf region have made it very clear that the imposition of transit fees will ultimately always affect consumers, so we oppose this approach," Sheikh Saoud said. "But if it’s for specific periods, and they say it’s a temporary charge for demining or similar purposes, that is negotiable."