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Iran’s top security agency announced on Monday that it has established a new organization to oversee the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively sealed off and now intends to charge ships for passage. The official X account of the Supreme National Security Council posted about the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), stating it will offer “real-time updates on Hormuz Strait operations and recent developments.” The Revolutionary Guards’ navy also shared the same statement.
Details about the functions of this new body remain unclear, but earlier this month, Iran’s English-language broadcaster Press TV described it as a “system to exercise sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz,” noting that ships passing through have been given “regulations” via an email address.
Since the outbreak of hostilities with the U.S. and Israel on February 28, Iran has largely blocked maritime traffic through this critical waterway. A fragile ceasefire has been in effect since April 8, yet Iran’s control of the strait has unsettled global markets and increased Tehran’s strategic influence, with the U.S. counteracting by imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Under normal circumstances, about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments—along with other key commodities like fertilizer—pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the conflict began, Iran has repeatedly stated that maritime traffic will not return to pre-war levels. Last month, Iran also announced it had begun collecting tolls on ships traversing the waterway and received initial revenue from those tolls.
On Saturday, Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliament’s national security committee, claimed Iran “has prepared a professional mechanism to manage traffic” through the strait and indicated it would be revealed soon.
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