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Iran’s ambassador in Moscow stated that Tehran is constantly negotiating with Russia to accelerate the construction of new units at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, operated with technology from the Russian state-owned company Rosatom. The diplomat also revealed that allied countries may be exempt from fees to cross the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage through which about one-fifth of the world’s consumed oil transits.
Iran has just signaled that its alliance with Russia goes far beyond the military sphere. The Iranian ambassador in Moscow, Kazem Jalali, confirmed in an interview with the Russian state agency RIA Novosti this Friday (24) that Tehran maintains constant negotiations with Moscow to accelerate the construction and completion of new units at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, the main atomic complex operating in the country. The statement comes amid a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States, with Washington demanding that Tehran abandon its nuclear program as a condition for ending the war.
The ambassador went beyond the nuclear issue and touched on a point that affects global maritime trade. Jalali revealed that Iran is considering charging fees for vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz and that countries considered allies, such as Russia, may receive exemptions. According to the diplomat, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already working to ensure exceptions for nations classified by Tehran as “friendly countries,” which transforms the most strategic maritime passage in the Middle East into an instrument of foreign policy.
What is behind the negotiations between Iran and Russia on Bushehr
According to information released by the G1 portal, the Bushehr nuclear power plant is the center of atomic cooperation between Iran and Russia. The complex operates with technology from the Russian state-owned company Rosatom and relies on Russian technicians and engineers for the expansion of its units. Jalali stated that the two countries are in permanent contact to create conditions that allow Rosatom employees to carry out their work, a reference to the operational difficulties caused by military attacks that hit areas near the plant in recent months.
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The statement gains weight in the context of the ceasefire with the United States. One of Donald Trump’s main demands to definitively end the conflict is that Iran abandon its nuclear program, which would make the expansion of Bushehr incompatible with any peace agreement. For Tehran, maintaining negotiations with Moscow on the plant is a way to signal that the nuclear program is not on the table, regardless of American demands.
Attacks on the Bushehr plant and the risk of nuclear catastrophe
The urgency of negotiations to accelerate the expansion of Bushehr is also explained by the history of attacks the complex has suffered. Iran accused Israel and the United States of bombing areas near the plant in early April, which would have been the fourth time since the beginning of the war that the region was hit by explosives. One employee died in the most recent attack, and Russia ordered the evacuation of nearly 200 workers from the site for security reasons.
In June 2025, the nuclear power plant was directly attacked, and Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned that the bombing could have caused a nuclear catastrophe. Grossi stated that nuclear facilities must never be attacked and called for restrictions on military activities in the area. Although no radiation emissions were detected, the risk of a nuclear accident in an active conflict zone keeps the international community on permanent alert.
What it means to charge fees in the Strait of Hormuz and who would be affected
The Strait of Hormuz is the most important maritime passage for global energy trade. About one-fifth of all oil consumed worldwide transits through it, connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and serving as a mandatory route for exports from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran itself. The idea of charging fees for vessels crossing this passage has the potential to reshape the cost of global oil.
The ambassador’s revelation about exemptions for “friendly countries” transforms tariffs into a geopolitical tool. If Iran charges everyone but exempts only allies like Russia, the practical effect will be to make oil more expensive for the West while keeping costs low for strategic partners. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already working on formulating these exceptions, which indicates that the proposal is not rhetorical: a diplomatic structure is being set up to operationalize the collection.
How exemptions for Russia strengthen the alliance between the two countries
The offer of exemption from tariffs in the Strait of Hormuz for Russia is more than a diplomatic gesture. It consolidates a relationship in which Moscow provides nuclear technology and political support to Iran and receives concrete commercial advantages in return that reduce transport costs for its exports and imports through the Persian Gulf. Cooperation ranges from the nuclear power plant at Bushehr to maritime logistics.
For Iran, classifying nations as “friendly countries” and granting exclusive benefits creates a system of alliances based on economic incentives that complements military and political ties. Russia is already Iran’s partner on multiple fronts, and the exemption in the Strait of Hormuz adds a commercial layer that makes the alliance harder to undo, even under pressure from Western sanctions. The United States, which maintains a significant naval presence in the region, observes these movements as evidence that the Tehran-Moscow axis is deepening.
What’s at stake for the world if Iran controls tariffs in Hormuz
The possibility of Iran charging tariffs in the Strait of Hormuz raises concerns that go beyond regional geopolitics. Any additional cost imposed on the passage of oil tankers translates into an increase in the price of a barrel, with ripple effects on gasoline, diesel, gas, and all products that depend on petroleum derivatives worldwide. For economies dependent on energy imports, such as those in Europe and Asia, the measure would represent a new source of instability in a market already pressured by war.
The negotiations between Iran and Russia regarding Bushehr and the Strait of Hormuz show that the two countries are building a multidimensional partnership that combines nuclear cooperation, commercial advantages, and strategic positioning. The ceasefire with the United States may have paused fighting, but it has not slowed down diplomacy between Tehran and Moscow, which continues to produce faits accomplis while Washington defines its next demands.
Do you think Iran should charge tariffs on those crossing the Strait of Hormuz, or could this measure provoke a new escalation of tensions in the Middle East? Leave your opinion in the comments; we want to know how you view the alliance between Iran and Russia and its effects on global energy prices.
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