'Not A Privilege To Be Granted By Iran': Why Singapore Won't Negotiate Hormuz Passage

Last Updated:April 09, 2026, 13:41 IST

Singapore rejects negotiating or paying Iran for ship passage through the Strait of Hormuz, citing UNCLOS transit rights and warning of risks to global trade routes and norms

Singapore has strongly ruled out negotiating with Iran for safe passage of its ships through the Strait of Hormuz, taking a strong stand on international maritime law amid ongoing tensions in the region.

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the country will not engage in any talks or pay tolls to secure transit, stressing that such a move would undermine fundamental legal principles. “Transit passage is a right, not a privilege," he said in Parliament.

Balakrishnan underlined that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which guarantees freedom of navigation. He said ships should not have to “seek permission" or pay for access, warning that accepting such conditions would set a dangerous precedent.

His remarks come at a time when Iran has tightened control over the strategic chokepoint during the ongoing conflict, with some countries reportedly negotiating safe passage or paying fees to move vessels through the strait.

Why Singapore Won’t Negotiate Hormuz Passage?

The Southeast Asian city-state, despite its tiny size, is a shipping superpower

and its position reflects its own strategic concerns. The country sits along the Strait of Malacca — another critical global shipping route — and fears that compromising on Hormuz could weaken similar protections elsewhere.

The Strait of Malacca is the crossroads of major global maritime routes between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, and hosts the world’s busiest trans-shipment port, through which 3.1 billion tonnes of vessel arrivals passed in 2024.

The development comes despite a fragile US-Iran ceasefire aimed at easing tensions and reopening key shipping lane. However, uncertainty continues over actual access and safety, with maritime movement still heavily restricted and dependent on Iranian approval in many cases.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most vital energy corridors, handling a significant share of global oil trade. Any disruption or conditional access has far-reaching implications for global supply chains and energy markets.

‘This Is The Right Not A Privilege To Be Granted By Iran’

“There is a right of transit passage. It is not a privilege to be granted by the bordering state, it is not a licence to be supplicated for, it is not a toll to be paid," foreign minister told the parliament on Tuesday when asked whether Singapore would negotiate passage through the Strait of Hormuz or pay a toll to Iran.

Singapore’s refusal to negotiate signals a broader push to uphold international norms at a time when geopolitical tensions are increasingly reshaping control over critical trade routes.

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