Iran has introduced a new mechanism, the ‘Persian Gulf Strait Authority’, to regulate maritime transit through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media.
The Wall Street Journal reports that under the system, vessels intending to pass through the strait will receive guidance from an official email address outlining the rules for transit.
Ships are required to comply with the framework and obtain prior authorisation before crossing the waterway.
The move, it was learnt, is part of Iran’s broader effort to assert control over traffic through the strait, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping chokepoints, amid ongoing regional tensions and United States-led efforts to keep the waterway open
Earlier, oil prices surged above $114 before dropping to $109 per barrel on Tuesday. This followed the escalation of the rift between the United States and Iran.
The latest surge in prices came after the US military said it had destroyed six Iranian small boats in response to alleged Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the waterway, while the United Arab Emirates reported coming under attack from Iranian missiles and drones on Monday.
An Iranian military source cited by the official IRNA news agency denied that US forces had sunk several Iranian boats, branding the US claim “false”.
