DUBAI: The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council says Iran is charging fees for ships to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi is the first top official to accuse Iran of charging for safe passage through the strait.
That's the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20 per cent of traded oil once passed.
Al-Budaiwi oversees the bloc of six Gulf Arab nations including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He spoke during a news conference Thursday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.