Iran’s top security authority on Monday announced the creation of a new agency to supervise activities in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway Tehran has effectively restricted while seeking to impose transit charges on vessels passing through it.
In a post shared on its official X account, the Supreme National Security Council introduced the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), stating that the body would provide “real-time updates” on operations and developments relating to the Strait of Hormuz.
READ MORE: Many children feared abducted as Boko Haram invades Borno school
The same announcement was also reposted by the naval arm of the Revolutionary Guards.
Although the exact responsibilities of the new authority were not fully outlined, Iranian state-linked broadcaster Press TV earlier described it as a mechanism designed to enforce Iran’s control over the strait. The report added that ships navigating the route had begun receiving operational directives through the email address info@pgsa.ir.
Iran has significantly restricted shipping movement through the key maritime corridor since the conflict involving the United States and Israel erupted on February 28. A fragile ceasefire has reportedly remained in effect since April 8.
Tehran’s tighter control over the waterway has unsettled international markets and increased geopolitical tensions, while the United States has also maintained naval restrictions targeting Iranian ports.
The Strait of Hormuz is regarded as one of the world’s most critical trade routes, handling about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports during normal periods, alongside other commodities such as fertiliser.
Since the conflict began, Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted that shipping operations through the strait would not return to previous conditions. Last month, Tehran also disclosed that it had started generating revenue from transit tolls imposed on vessels using the route.
On Saturday, Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, stated that the country had developed a “professional mechanism” for regulating maritime traffic through the strait, adding that the initiative would soon be formally unveiled.
AFP
About The Author
