Iran has moved to formalise its control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, by launching a new authority that now requires vessels to seek clearance and potentially pay millions of dollars before crossing the strategic waterway.
Tehran recently announced the creation of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), declaring that no vessel may transit the Strait of Hormuz without approval from Iranian authorities, tightening control over the strategic waterway despite the ongoing US blockade
The PGSA said it is now the “legal entity and representative authority” managing vessel movement through the strait, adding that "transit through this area for the purpose of passing through the Strait of Hormuz requires coordination with, and authorization from, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority."
A map published by the authority and cited by the BBC claimed “Iranian armed forces oversight” across more than 22,000 square kilometres of the strategic waterway.
Under the new system, shipping companies must submit more than 40 categories of information before passage, including cargo details, crew nationalities, ownership structures, and destinations.
