Story perspectives

Iran Declares Controlled Zone, Requires Authorization for Strait Traffic

5/21/2026

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Summary

Iran Controls Strait

Iran has declared a controlled maritime zone across the Strait of Hormuz, requiring prior authorisation.
The zone stretches from Kuh-e Mobarak to southern Fujairah eastward and from Qeshm Island to Umm Al Quwain westward.
Iran’s Gulf Maritime Authority now demands all vessels obtain permission before entering the strait.
Ebrahim Azizi, chair of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Committee, said a professional traffic-management mechanism will charge fees.
The IRGC reported coordinating the transit of 26 vessels through the strait in the past 24 hours.
European governments have begun talks with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy to secure commercial transit after Chinese, Japanese and Pakistani ships passed.

Summary

Iran Bitcoin Insurance

Iran launched Hormuz Safe, a Bitcoin-backed insurance service for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran projects Hormuz Safe will earn over US$10 billion.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority will oversee traffic, fees and approved routes.
Business magnate Babak Zanjani, released after his death sentence was commuted, promoted Hormuz Safe on 8 May.
Experts warn Bitcoin volatility and possible U.S. sanctions create legal and financial uncertainty for the model.

Summary

Iran Cable Fees

Legal scholars say Iran’s plan to levy licensing fees on undersea cables rests on a “very weak” basis under international law, noting that all states retain freedom to lay and maintain cables.
At least seven fiber-optic cables run beneath the Strait of Hormuz, but only the Falcon and Gulf Bridge International lines lie within Iran’s territorial waters.
Iran has threatened to charge operators of these cables fees to avoid disruptions, leveraging its fleet of torpedo-capable submarines in the shallow waterway.
The threatened fees could target major tech firms such as Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon, and would also give Iranian companies exclusive rights to repair contracts.
Experts warn that any sabotage could impair regional banking networks, military communications, AI cloud services and broader global commerce.
The seabed’s sandy, muddy composition makes cables easier to bury but also complicates any rapid damage or repair operations.

History

Historical Context

In March 1987 President Reagan approved Kuwait’s request to re-flag eleven tankers, launching the U.S. Navy’s Operation Earnest Will to escort them through the Strait of Hormuz. Special-operations units from the 160th Aviation Regiment, SEALs and Mobile Sea Bases seized the Iranian minelayer Iran Ajr on 21 September 1987, capturing 26 crew. That 1987-88 escort model underpins today’s Iranian Gulf Maritime Authority licensing and cyber-fee scheme.

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Iran Controls Strait

Iran has declared a controlled maritime zone across the Strait of Hormuz, requiring prior authorisation.
The zone stretches from Kuh-e Mobarak to southern Fujairah eastward and from Qeshm Island to Umm Al Quwain westward.
Iran’s Gulf Maritime Authority now demands all vessels obtain permission before entering the strait.
Ebrahim Azizi, chair of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Committee, said a professional traffic-management mechanism will charge fees.
The IRGC reported coordinating the transit of 26 vessels through the strait in the past 24 hours.
European governments have begun talks with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy to secure commercial transit after Chinese, Japanese and Pakistani ships passed.

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