Iran wants a mafia-style 'protection' toll on the Strait of Hormuz, but the eye-popping $20 billion per year haul is a pipe dream | Fortune

Iran is pushing for a tolling system for the Strait of Hormuz that analysts say could raise nearly $20 billion a year, but both the U.S. and neighboring Gulf states are unlikely to accept it. The proposal includes a 5% to 7% “service fee” per barrel—described by experts as akin to a mafia-style protection racket. Former White House energy adviser Bob McNally estimates a 5% fee could generate $18 billion to $25 billion annually, raising global energy costs and potentially widening impacts beyond crude to LNG and other cargo. Analysts say the system would be illegal under maritime law and could trigger insurance cancellations, keeping the standoff ongoing.