For four centuries, the freedom of ships to pass through international straits without toll or interference has been one of the quiet foundations of global commerce — a principle so settled it was written into international law in 1982. Now Iran, having survived military strikes and consolidated power under new leadership, is pressing its geographic advantage along the Strait of Hormuz to demand conditions on passage, including fees whose definition remains deliberately vague. The outcome of this standoff will not merely determine the cost of oil transit; it will test whether the rules-based m