World

Iran announces 'controlled maritime zone' for ships transiting Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority has announced the creation of a controlled maritime zone in the Strait of Hormuz requiring vessels to obtain authorisation before passing through the waterway.

In a post on X, the authority said the zone extends from Kuh-e Mubarak in Iran to south of Fujairah in the UAE at the eastern entrance of the strait, and from the tip of Qeshm Island to Umm al-Quwain at the western entrance.

It added that any transit through the zone “requires coordination with and authorization from the authority”, indicating tighter Iranian oversight of one of the world’s most important shipping routes.