Iran warned on Thursday that ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz must use only routes approved and designated by Iranian authorities, following an attack on a vessel off the coast of Oman.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), established by Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz, said in a post on X that transit outside routes designated by Iran “will not be covered by the guarantee of safe passage.”
It added that any “Consequences arising from passage through unauthorised routes shall be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander.”
Earlier, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) temporarily suspended evacuation operations in the strategic waterway, citing security concerns following the attack.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement: “I have decided to temporarily pause [the evacuation plan’s] implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region.”
He said the decision followed an attack on a ship in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday after it had passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
