Iran claims formal control over the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has unilaterally claimed formal control over the Strait of Hormuz, publishing a new map that extends its asserted jurisdiction into the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
In a post published on X, Iran’s newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) defined what it called its “regulatory jurisdiction” over the strategic maritime chokepoint. The declared area stretches from Kuh-e Mubarak in Iran to southern Fujairah in the UAE at the eastern entrance of the strait, and from the tip of Iran’s Qeshm Island to Umm al-Quwain in the UAE at the western entrance.
Under the new Iranian claims, all vessels transiting through the designated corridor would be required to obtain prior authorization from the PGSA. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly sent a joint letter to the International Maritime Organization warning commercial operators not to engage with the Iranian authority or follow the maritime route designated by Tehran.
Iran tightens control over Hormuz shipping
Earlier this month, Iran introduced an email-based authorization procedure for vessels intending to cross the strait. According to multiple reports, the only operators believed to have paid transit fees to the PGSA so far are vessels linked to China’s so-called “shadow fleet.” No Western shipping company has publicly acknowledged making payments, partly because doing so could expose operators to potential US sanctions.
From Tehran’s perspective, the formalization of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz represents a strategic and political victory in the ongoing confrontation involving the United States and Israel. However, the move is widely viewed internationally as an illegitimate territorial claim extending over the sovereign waters of neighboring states.
Fujairah emerges as a strategic vulnerability
The map published by the PGSA also includes the Emirati port of Fujairah, one of the Gulf’s most critical energy export hubs. Fujairah hosts the UAE’s East-West oil pipeline infrastructure, specifically designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and secure crude exports during regional crises.
The UAE is already planning a second pipeline that would double export capacity through Fujairah by 2027. Against the backdrop of escalating tensions with Iran and previous attacks targeting Emirati infrastructure, the country may now face increasing pressure to strengthen the active defense of these strategic assets.
The geopolitical implications for energy markets
The latest developments suggest that Tehran is unlikely to accept a return to the pre-war regional balance. Iran’s growing leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil and LNG trade flows, is reshaping geopolitical calculations across the Gulf and global energy markets.
Political scientist and Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer summarized the situation bluntly: “Trump tore up Obama’s deal with Iran. Now any agreement he signs will be worse and weaker than the one he abandoned.”