Iran grants Hormuz toll exception to Russia

Iran's parliament has prepared a draft law imposing new regulations and tolls for passage through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. In a new development, Iran's Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, has stated that Russia will be exempt from these new fees. The exemptions are reported to apply globally to several countries considered friendly to Tehran, formalizing a policy of preferential treatment amid the ongoing U.S. blockade and regional tensions.