Some Gulf states signal they aren't opposed to paying fees in Hormuz, sources say

Some Gulf states signal they aren't opposed to paying fees in Hormuz, sources say Submitted by Sean Mathews on Tue, 07/14/2026 - 21:07 Gulf states are more wary of Iranian control in Hormuz than financial payments, as Trump ups his demand for investments Ships are docked along a pier at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in the Sharjah emirate, along the Gulf of Oman, on 14 July 2026 (AFP) Off Some Arab Gulf States have suggested to the US and European countries that they are not opposed to paying a fee in the Strait of Hormuz, but reject Iranian control of the waterway, multiple US and regional officials have told Middle East Eye. The difference between the two positions is a nuanced one, officials briefed on the matter told MEE, but it is important as fighting flares between the US and Iran again. US President Donald Trump is also signalling he expects economic compensation for the US providing security in the waterway.