Iran says IRGC Navy to control all Strait of Hormuz traffic ‘with full authority’

Iran’s highest operational command unit says the Strait of Hormuz remains under full control of the armed forces, warning that any military interference in the strategic waterway will prompt a response.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the management of the Strait of Hormuz is being exercised “with full authority” by the armed forces.

“All ships, commercial vessels, and oil tankers are exclusively required to transit through designated routes and obtain permission from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy,” it added.

It stressed the importance of complying with established regulations for all vessels using the strategic waterway, warning that any violation of these rules will “seriously jeopardize the security of their passage”.

The military command also issued a stern warning to foreign naval forces operating in the region.

“Any action by military vessels aimed at interfering in the management of the Strait of Hormuz or creating disruption in navigation will be targeted by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it pointed out.

Iran has restricted the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas flows, to ships belonging to the United States and its allies that participated in or supported the US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

It began exercising far stricter controls after US President Donald Trump announced an illegal blockade of Iranian vessels and ports in continuation of the aggression and in violation of the terms of a ceasefire that the US president, himself, had declared earlier.

The IRGC's Navy has pledged to enforce Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei's "historic" directive concerning the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran Parliament to vote on Hormuz Strait management plan 'soon'

An Iranian lawmaker says the Parliament will soon approve legislation formalizing the Islamic Republic’s management and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

On Thursday, the IRGC Navy forced an American tanker to turn back. The tanker was trying to illegally cross the Strait of Hormuz after it had switched off its tracking system, despite Iran's restrictions.

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