Iran Publishes Map Claiming Control Over Parts of Strait of Hormuz

Iran has published a map claiming regulatory control over a stretch of the Strait of Hormuz that extends into waters the United Arab Emirates and Oman consider their sovereign territory. In a post on X on Wednesday, Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority defined its claimed management zone as running from Kuh-e Mobarak in Iran to the south of Fujairah in the UAE at the strait's eastern entrance, and from the end of Qeshm Island in Iran to Umm al-Quwain in the UAE at its western entrance.

All vessels transiting the defined area are required to obtain prior authorisation from the PGSA.

Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent a joint letter to the IMO this week, warning commercial and merchant vessels not to engage with the PGSA or transit the waterway using Iran's designated route. The letter was distributed by the IMO.

Earlier in May, Iran had established an email-based application process for vessels seeking to transit the strait through the PGSA. The authority was said to have become operational on Monday.

The crucial waterway has been largely blocked since the outbreak of the Iran war on 28 February, first by Tehran, and then by a US blockade of Iranian ports and ships declared by President Donald Trump. So far, the only operators paying PGSA tolls are predominantly Chinese-linked shadow fleet vessels.

The UAE port of Fujairah sits at the seaward end of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's West-East pipeline, which was built specifically to allow oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is also using the ceasefire period to rebuild its drone and missile programmes.

US intelligence officials said in May that Iran had resumed drone production ahead of schedule. China and Russia have, according to US officials cited by multiple outlets, been providing assistance with Tehran's rebuilding efforts, although the specific nature of that support has not been publicly confirmed.