Iranically Iran, Middle East’s Karen…
- Thread starter Ron in Regina
- Start date
Been using this for months. Didn’t have to download anything. It’s just attached to Google.
& I’ve played with it a bit and I’ve learned the garbage in the garbage out thing with it depending on how you phrase things, & I didn’t have to download anything which is awesome.
It tends to correct the garage in, it's like Chief Operations Officer and Second Officer Data from Star Trek TNG
If you change the wording of your question slightly, you can get a very different answer. Good example of that in the other thread.
You asked two different questions and got two different answers. It's your garbage questions.
Let me try with "antisemitic" Grok.
Is Iran currently charging a transit fee through Strait of Hormuz to all nations?
No, Iran is not charging a uniform transit fee to all nations or vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz
Reports from March 2026 (amid heightened regional tensions and conflict involving Iran) indicate that Iran has begun selectively and informally demanding payments—up to around $2 million per voyage—from some commercial vessels for "safe passage," while parliament is drafting legislation to formalize such tolls.b8a274
Key details from recent reporting:
The charges are applied on an ad hoc, case-by-case basis rather than systematically to every ship. Some vessels have reportedly paid (details on currency and exact mechanisms are unclear), but it's not a blanket policy enforced on all traffic.b1fbbd
Iran has distinguished between "friendly/non-hostile" nations (e.g., reports mention China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iraq, and sometimes others) whose ships may pass with coordination, versus those linked to adversaries (e.g., tied to the US or Israel), which face restrictions or exclusion.dd2e67
Iranian lawmakers have described the fees as compensation for "security" or "war costs," framing it as an exercise of sovereignty. One parliament member (Alaeddin Boroujerdi) publicly referenced collecting ~$2 million from certain vessels as a show of strength. Parliament is working on a bill to legally recognize oversight of the strait and enable toll collection, potentially as part of a postwar arrangement.8baa8e
This occurs against a backdrop where Iran has disrupted or selectively controlled transit (including attacks on some vessels earlier in the conflict), drastically reducing overall traffic through the strait (which normally carries ~20-25% of global oil and LNG).53cda9
This practice has drawn strong criticism:
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has called it illegal and a violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which generally guarantees freedom of navigation through international straits like Hormuz.06e941
Some Iranian officials have distanced themselves, labeling media claims as based on personal remarks rather than formal policy.f3d850
In short, while Iran is asserting greater control and extracting payments from select ships in an informal "toll-like" manner (and moving toward formalizing it), it is not a standardized fee charged equally to all nations or every vessel. The situation remains fluid, tied to ongoing regional conflict, and has contributed to higher shipping risks, rerouting considerations, and elevated oil prices.
Under international law, such unilateral fees on a critical chokepoint are highly contentious and not widely recognized as legitimate.
So...is that not what I've been saying all along? I can take that reply and add to it.
Do reports state which nations are currently exempt?
Yes, multiple reports from March 2026 explicitly identify certain nations whose vessels are treated as "friendly" or "non-hostile" and thus permitted safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, often with coordination from Iranian authorities.
These countries are frequently described as exempt from the stricter restrictions or de facto blockade affecting others, though the application of any transit fees remains selective and ad hoc rather than uniformly waived.50ba4d
Core List of "Friendly" or Permitted Nations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other officials have repeatedly named the following as examples of countries granted safe passage for their vessels:
China
Russia
India
Iraq
Pakistan
This list appears consistently across reports citing Araghchi's statements to state media and diplomatic channels.f7dc2d
Additional Nations Mentioned in Reports
Other countries have reportedly secured passage through bilateral talks or specific approvals, though they are mentioned less uniformly:
Malaysia
Bangladesh (noted in some statements as potentially included)
Egypt
South Korea
Japan (assurances reported for Japanese ships)
Turkey (at least one Turkish-owned ship cleared after coordination)
These appear to fall under the broader "non-hostile" category defined by Iran as vessels from countries that "neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran" (primarily linked to the US and Israel).0fe3f1
Context on Fees vs. Passage
Passage is selectively allowed for these nations' vessels after coordination with Iranian authorities (e.g., providing details on crew, cargo, and route, sometimes routed close to Iranian waters for oversight). Some ships from these countries have transited successfully, including Indian LPG carriers and Pakistani tankers.
Fees (reportedly up to ~$2 million per voyage in some cases, occasionally in yuan) are described as applied on a case-by-case basis to certain vessels for "safe passage" or "security." It is not clear from reports that all ships from friendly nations are fully exempt from fees—some may still pay, while others appear to gain access primarily through diplomatic arrangements rather than direct payment. Lawmakers have framed fees as compensation for "war costs," but Iranian officials (including embassy statements) have sometimes downplayed or distanced themselves from blanket fee claims as personal remarks rather than formal policy.
Iran maintains that the strait is "open" only to non-hostile/non-enemy vessels and closed or restricted for adversaries (explicitly the US, Israel, and their direct supporters/allies). A vetting/registration system is reportedly in development, and parliament is drafting legislation to formalize oversight and potential tolls.d50cc7
Key Caveats from Reporting
The policy is fluid and not fully systematized — access often depends on direct negotiations, and traffic remains far below normal levels.
Some "friendly" nations (e.g., India) have publicly rejected the legitimacy of any fees under international law, emphasizing freedom of navigation.
The Gulf Cooperation Council and others have condemned the overall approach as illegal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In summary, reports consistently highlight China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan as the primary "friendly" nations with permitted access, with a handful of others (Malaysia, Bangladesh, etc.) also benefiting in practice. However, even for these countries, passage requires Iranian coordination, and any fee exemptions are not explicitly guaranteed as a blanket rule—implementation appears pragmatic and selective amid the ongoing conflict. The situation continues to evolve rapidly.
BTW, not all AI is created equally and some are throttled.
I was being facetious, but I have experienced where I can change the wording of a question just slightly and come up with a very different slant to the answer.
The good AI can see beyond your bias or slant.
A detailed question can use enough energy to cook an egg. That's not cheap so Google AI or Gemini tends to truncate answer without depth.
Are US-Iran peace talks really taking place?
There is indirect contact and channels between the two sides - but a deal may still be a long way off.
www.bbc.com
Iran rejects US ceasefire plan and submits its own amid push for talks
Donald Trump claims Iran still wants a deal, after Tehran puts forward five-point counter-proposal and says war will end when it decides and on its terms
Iran Warns The U.S. Against A Ground Invasion As Regional Powers Plan To Meet In Pakistan — HuffPost
Regional powers plan to meet in Pakistan to discuss how to end the fighting in the Middle East after about 2,500 U.S. Marines arrived in the region and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels entered the monthlong war.
Trump says Iran ‘begging’ for deal to end war as Tehran issues new demands
Trump claims US, Israel wiped out navy and air force, as Iran lawmakers plan to collect tolls for transiting ships.
Trump repeats claims US is winning war against Iran
US president Donald Trump repeats claims that the US is winning the war against Iran, adding 'they (Iranians) are begging to make a deal'. Sky's US correspondent James Matthews reacts to Trump's cabinet meeting.
Trump's conflicting messages sow confusion over the Iran war
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is winning the war with Iran even as thousands of additional American troops deploy to the Middle East.
toronto.citynews.ca
I guess all propaganda is weird by its nature but I’ve watched two of these this morning already…
Iran’s military capacity, clearly, has been greatly underestimated. Iranically, it was the Ukrainians who warned us about this possibility, years ago. In the third year of his four-year war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the United Nations that modern warfare had completely changed — because of drones.
Photos show heavily damaged US radar jet at Saudi base — BBC News
US Central Command has not yet publicly commented on the incident.
In an interview in the Gulf nation of Qatar on Saturday, Zelenskyy said he was “100%” confident Russia was sharing such intelligence with Iran to help target U.S. forces across the Middle East.
“I think that it’s in Russia’s interest to help Iranians. And I don’t believe — I know — that they share information,” he said. “Do they help Iranians? Of course. How many percent? One-hundred percent.”
Russia took satellite images of U.S. air base before Iranian attack, Zelenskyy says — NBC News
Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NBC News it would be a "mistake" if American-made missile interceptors bound for Ukraine were diverted to Gulf countries being attacked by Iran.
On March 26, Iran attacked the base, which hosts U.S. forces as well as Saudi troops. The strike wounded a number of American service members, two U.S. officials said Friday, though none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
The American airbase has been repeatedly targeted by Iran’s retaliatory attacks in the Gulf, with a previous assault damaging five refueling aircraft earlier this month. Since the start of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, about 303 US service members have been wounded and at least 13 killed, according to CENTCOM.
$270M E-3 Sentry spy plane demolished by Iranian attack at Saudi air base: photos — New York Post
The US Air Force had just 16 E-3 Sentry aircraft in circulation prior to Friday’s attack.
Outrage grows over Israeli restrictions to Jerusalem sites during Holy Week
In a rare about-face, the move by Israeli police to block Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from the holiest site in Christianity was reversed after criticismOutrage grows over Israeli restrictions to Jerusalem sites during Holy Week
In a rare about-face, the move by Israeli police to block Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from the holiest site in Christianity was reversed after criticism.
JERUSALEM — The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran created a flash point in interfaith relations in this ancient holy city over the weekend, as a move to prevent a Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Christianity’s most sacred site, triggered criticism that led to a rare climbdown by the Israeli government.
The start of spring is typically a crowded time in Jerusalem, as an influx of worshipers make pilgrimages to key religious sites. But restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities, citing the war against Iran, have obstructed access and dampened the holiday season for Muslims, Jews and Christians.
On Sunday morning, that policy came to a head as Israeli authorities blocked the highest official of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from celebrating the start of Easter Week at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where it is believed that Jesus was crucified and resurrected.
“For the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” the Pizzaballa’s office said in a statement. It added, “This incident is a grave precedent, and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem.”
In the era of social media, the decision to block Pizzaballa’s Palm Sunday Mass in the 4th-century church in Jerusalem’s Old City drew swift outrage and statements of concern, including from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who called it an “unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world.”
The news also spread fast among politicized Catholics on the right and the left, particularly in the United States, presenting Israelis with the kind of optics nightmare — of a government stealing Easter — that they did not want or need.
“ISRAEL POLICE were SPYING on the Cardinal of Jerusalem,” the archconservative Catholic pundit John-Henry Westen alleged on X.
The Rev. James Martin, a prominent liberal Catholic priest in the United States, posted the news on Facebook, prompting 1,200 comments questioning and defending Israeli actions.
“I think they realized [the risk] very quickly,” said Massimo Faggioli, a professor in ecclesiology at Trinity College Dublin. “They know that what’s going on is a big test in relations between religions, and I think they understand that Jerusalem is a testing ground for these relations and there are huge uncertainties for the future of the status quo where there is a freedom of worship and access to holy sites.”
Israel immediately said the move was justified, prearranged and applicable to members of all faiths, not just Christians, because of wartime safety concerns. But early Monday, top officials reversed course, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying on X that he had “instructed the authorities to enable the Patriarch to hold services as he wishes.”
Ask The Post AI
Dive deeper
Netanyahu said Israel had “asked members of all faiths” to temporarily abstain from worshiping at the Old City holy sites. Pizzaballa was asked to refrain “out of special concern for his safety,” Netanyahu said. But critics said the reversal came too late, after the holiday had passed, and they noted that other key sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall, remain closed to worshipers.
The Israeli police said Monday afternoon that a “productive meeting” with the cardinal helped establish a “mutual framework” for upcoming Easter ceremonies and posted a photo of a smiling Pizzaballa holding the hand of a police official. Some events will be held in a “symbolic, limited format,” police said, to ensure “freedom of worship” and “the protection of human life.”
The facts surrounding the showdown remained in some dispute.
In a statement, the Israeli police said “the Patriarch’s request was reviewed [on Saturday] and it was clarified that it could not be approved,” citing threats to public safety. But Farid Jubran, a spokesman for Pizzaballa, denied in a text to The Washington Post that police had communicated that rejection to the Patriarchate.
Since becoming the Latin Patriarch in 2020, Pizzaballa’s stature has risen quickly to the point that he was viewed last year as a papal contender following the death of Pope Francis.
Shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, Pizzaballa offered to trade himself for Israeli children held as hostages. A fluent Hebrew speaker, he is seen as skilled in building bridges with the government.
However, strains appeared during the Gaza war, which Pizzaballa described in July 2025 as “morally unjustifiable.”
On Sunday morning, Pizzaballa, along with Custos of the Holy Land Francesco Ielpo, were heading to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre when they were “stopped en route, while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and were compelled to turn back,” according to a statement issued shortly afterward by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land.
Church heads “have complied with all imposed restrictions,” the statement said, including canceling public gatherings. It said preventing the entry of the two men “constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure” that “represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship.”
The obstruction drew condemnation from Christians and international leaders across the globe.
Huckabee said that even with other holy sites closed, the decision to bar entry for a small group of Catholic representatives “is difficult to understand or justify” because the private ceremony fell far below the Israeli military’s wartime restriction on gatherings of 50 people or fewer.
Because of Israel’s security rules, Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites for Muslims, was closed to worshipers for Eid and most of the month of Ramadan for the first time since the 1967 war, compelling thousands of worshipers to pray on the streets as close to the holy site as possible. Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, usually draws more than 100,000 people to the mosque.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said denying entry to the patriarch and the custos, especially on Palm Sunday, “constitutes an affront not only to believers but to any community that upholds religious freedom.” Italy’s foreign minister summoned the Israeli ambassador to “obtain clarifications” on the situation.
The Israeli police defended the restrictions Sunday, saying officials had notified the patriarch that his request to enter the site would not be approved.
All holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City were closed to worshipers “to safeguard public safety and security” during the war, police said, adding that this was especially true for locations without protected spaces that could provide shelter from an airstrike. Police said that the Old City, with its narrow streets and alleys, does not accommodate access for large emergency and rescue vehicles, and that “freedom of worship will continue to be upheld,” with necessary restrictions.
Israel, posting on an X account run by the Foreign Ministry, said “concern over a mass-casualty event in the Old City is particularly acute given the area’s density and the difficulty of deploying first responders.”
On the afternoon of Eid, on March 20, a fragment from an Iranian missile fell in the Old City, only a few hundred meters from Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall, the Jewish prayer site that is also closed to visitors, which Netanyahu and other officials cited in their explanations for blocking access to the church.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “disappointed” by the actions of the Israeli police. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, “Netanyahu has prevented Catholics from celebrating Palm Sunday in Jerusalem’s Holy Places. Without any explanation. Without reasons or motives.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called it a “painful Palm Sunday” that is “unacceptable for us as Christians.”
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman called it an “illegal restrictive measure” against Christians, saying Israel “has no sovereignty over Jerusalem as an occupying power.” The spokesman added that the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque violates international law and the historical status of the city.
The Foreign Ministry of the Palestinian Authority called the police action “a crime affecting both the Christian and Islamic worlds.” In a public statement, Hamas called Israel’s actions “a dangerous precedent, not seen in centuries” and “actual implementation of the occupation’s Judaization policy against the holy city.”
Ask The Post AI
Dive deeper
Faiola reported from Rome.