IRGC Declares All Vessels Must Obtain Clearance to Transit Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN — The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday declared that every vessel, whether military or commercial, must obtain clearance from Iranian authorities before entering or crossing the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The sweeping demand, reported by Iranian state media, formalizes the IRGC’s longstanding threat to control the world’s most critical oil chokepoint and escalates the standoff with the United States following Monday’s naval clashes .

“Passing through the Strait of Hormuz is subject to obtaining permission and coordination with the IRGC.” — IRGC Statement, via Iranian State Media

The declaration came as the IRGC published a new map drawing a “zone of control” from the Iranian coastal town of Kuh-e Mobarak to a point south of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

The IRGC also renewed its threat that any foreign military force— “especially the aggressive US army” —that attempts to approach or enter the strait will be targeted .

🚢 ‘Project Freedom’ in Iran’s Crosshairs

The new decree is a direct challenge to President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” initiative to restore commercial shipping through the waterway. The IRGC’s ultimatum makes clear that Tehran considers “Project Freedom” an illegitimate act of military aggression.

The statement did not specify what “permission” entails. However, Iranian officials have previously argued that a formal “new legal regime” is now in effect in the strait, requiring vessels to request permission and pay a toll. Under this framework, Israeli ships would be permanently banned, and “hostile nations” (including the US and UK) would be required to pay “war reparations” before being allowed to transit.

⚡ ‘Clear Violation of International Law’

The United States has not yet responded to the IRGC’s formal declaration. On Monday, the Pentagon confirmed changes to the rules of engagement for US forces in the region, authorizing commanders on the scene to make “real-time decisions” about the use of deadly force .

Capt. Bill Urban, a CENTCOM spokesperson, told The War Zone that the IRGC declaration “is a clear violation of international law and a threat to the global economy.” He added that the US Navy will continue to operate in the strait “in accordance with international law.”

The US and its allies have long maintained that the strait is an international waterway under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), prohibiting a coastal state from impeding “transit passage.”

📜 Codifying the ‘New Legal Regime’

Iran insists its new rules are necessary to secure the strait after it was “mined” by the US and Israel. Tehran is also in the process of passing a “Strait of Hormuz Management Law” through parliament, which would formalize the toll requirement and ban Israeli ships outright.

The IRGC’s demand means that instead of a simple “yes” or “no” to “Project Freedom,” US Navy commanders must now decide whether to defy Iran’s new rules and risk an attack that the IRGC has repeatedly warned will come.

The Administration has decided it will not recognize Iran’s authority. The coming days will determine whether that decision leads to a second round of naval clashes or forces Iran to back down from its maximalist demand.

📋 Key Takeaways for Reflecto News Readers

Follow Reflecto News for continuous updates on the Strait of Hormuz crisis and US-Iran confrontation. This article is the intellectual property of Reflecto News.