Regime’s maritime escalation exposes Iran’s reckless bid to intimidate commerce after Israeli-American pressure intensifies.
Iran’s newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority has issued a map claiming a sovereign “controlled maritime zone” inside the Strait of Hormuz, escalating Tehran’s confrontation with international shipping and Western naval power.
In a social media post, the PGSA published coordinates for what it described as a blockade zone stretching between Iranian territory and the UAE coastline on both the eastern and western sides of the strait.
The new Iranian body warned that any vessel entering the declared area to pass through the Strait of Hormuz must first coordinate with and receive authorization from the PGSA. The move directly challenges freedom of navigation through one of the world’s most important maritime corridors.
The announcement follows Iran’s earlier creation of the PGSA, which the regime said would coordinate with global shipping companies and collect mandatory passage fees from merchant vessels.
Tehran has also issued threats against international cargo ships attempting to sail through the strait without Iranian permission. The escalation came after joint Israeli and American strikes on Iran, following which Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz “closed.”
The United States has responded with a sweeping naval blockade that has cut maritime access to and from Iranian ports.
The latest Iranian declaration signals a dangerous attempt by the regime to weaponize global trade routes, pressure the international community and retaliate against Israeli-American military action. For Israel and its allies, the move reinforces the need to confront Tehran’s aggression before it spreads further across the region and threatens global stability.
