Iran Officially Announces New Body to Manage Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s top security council has announced the creation of a new authority to manage the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route that Tehran has effectively restricted amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, the Supreme National Security Council said the newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) would provide “real-time updates on the #Hormuz_Strait operations and latest developments.”

The Revolutionary Guards’ naval wing also circulated the announcement, though details on the full mandate of the new body remain unclear.

Earlier reports from Iranian state-linked media suggested the PGSA would function as a mechanism for asserting sovereignty over the strategic waterway, including issuing regulations to vessels passing through the strait via official communication channels.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, has seen significant disruption since the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. Iran has reportedly restricted maritime traffic through the route since late February, while a fragile ceasefire has held since April 8.

The waterway is responsible for the movement of roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making any disruption highly sensitive to global energy markets.

Iranian authorities have previously indicated that shipping through the strait would not return to pre-war normalcy, with Tehran recently claiming it had begun collecting toll revenue from vessels passing through the route.

Officials have also hinted at a structured traffic management system, with Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliamentary national security commission, stating that a “professional mechanism” for regulating maritime movement would soon be unveiled.

The announcement of the PGSA is expected to heighten international attention on the strategic corridor, as concerns grow over energy security and maritime stability in the Gulf region.