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TEHRAN / KARACHI — In a direct challenge to international maritime law, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has begun forcibly turning back commercial vessels from the Strait of Hormuz. On Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the IRGC confirmed it intercepted and redirected at least three container ships, including the St. Kitts-flagged SELEN, after they failed to comply with a new, semi-formal “permission to transit” regime.
The move marks a shift from the physical “closure” of the waterway to a “sovereign regime” where Tehran dictates which nations and vessels are permitted to use the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.
The Interception of the SELEN
The most high-profile incident involved the SELEN, a feeder containership bound for Karachi, Pakistan, carrying essential food supplies.
- Course Reversal: AIS tracking data showed the vessel departing Sharjah (UAE) and proceeding northeast before making a sharp U-turn near the Hormuz approach after being hailed by IRGC patrol boats.
- Lack of Coordination: Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, Commander of the IRGC Navy, stated that the vessel was turned back for “failure to comply with legal protocols” and for not having prior approval from Iranian maritime authorities.
- The “Tollbooth” System: Analysts at Lloyd’s List report that Iran has established a “de facto toll booth” near Larak Island. Ships are now required to submit crew lists, cargo manifests, and in some cases, pay “transit fees” reportedly as high as $2 million per voyage—often settled in Chinese Yuan.
A “Tiered” Access Strategy
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has clarified that the Strait is not “closed” to everyone, but rather restricted based on a country’s geopolitical stance toward the current conflict.
| Category | Access Status | Conditions |
| “Enemy” Vessels | Strictly Prohibited | Any ship linked to the United States or Israel. |
| “Friendly” Nations | Permitted | India, Pakistan, Russia, China, and Iraq have been granted “green flag” status. |
| “Non-Hostile” Others | Case-by-Case | Must provide full documentation and coordinate via “approved intermediaries” with ties to the IRGC. |
The Global Impact: 1,900 Ships Stranded
Despite Tehran’s claims that the waterway is “open,” the maritime industry remains in a state of “cardiac arrest.”
- Mass Stagnation: Real-time ship trackers from MarineTraffic show approximately 1,900 vessels currently at anchor or stranded in the vicinity of the Strait, unable or unwilling to risk the new Iranian protocols.
- Phantom Blockade: Even for “friendly” ships, war-risk insurance has been largely withdrawn, making the economic cost of transit prohibitive for most commercial operators.
- 95% Drop in Traffic: Only 138 ships crossed the chokepoint between March 1 and March 23, compared to the pre-war average of 138 ships per day.
What’s Next?
The IRGC’s assertion of control adds significant weight to the 10-day pause ending April 6. While President Trump has held off on striking Iranian power plants, he warned on Saturday that the U.S. would “bomb Iranian infrastructure” if the Strait is not fully reopened. The next few days will determine if the “Islamabad Channel” negotiations can formalize a safe transit agreement or if the U.S. will move to a “Freedom of Navigation” operation to break the IRGC’s “tollbooth” by force.
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