Iran’s IRGC Navy said commercial vessels must transit the Strait of Hormuz only through routes designated by Tehran.
It warned that movement outside approved channels is prohibited and unsafe.
Tehran said a recent memorandum of understanding with the United States would allow temporary safe passage for commercial shipping, but only under coordination with Iranian authorities.
Iran Warns Vessels To Use Approved Strait of Hormuz Routes, Signals Tighter Control
The warning follows remarks by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf that the Strait’s administration would not return to its pre-war status and would remain under Iranian management.
Summary
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has warned that vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz must use routes designated by the Islamic Republic, saying transit outside those channels would not be permitted.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the force said safe passage through the strategic waterway would only be possible through officially approved routes and described alternative passages as "unacceptable and completely dangerous."
"Traffic of vessels outside these routes is prohibited, and we warn against any traffic outside the communicated routes," the statement said.
The IRGC Navy added that coordination with Iranian authorities is now "mandatory" for ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
The warning comes days after Iran’s Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf signalled a shift in Tehran’s approach to managing the chokepoint following recent hostilities involving the United States and Israel.
Speaking in an interview to Press TV, Qalibaf said the Strait would not return to its earlier operational status.
"Everyone should know that the administration of the Strait of Hormuz will never go back to the way it was before the war," Qalibaf said.
Iran has said it restricted access through the strait for its opponents and their allies in response to what it described as aggression and after accusing the US of sustaining an illegal naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels despite an existing ceasefire.
According to Iranian officials, Tehran and Washington have since agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) intended to halt further escalation and establish conditions for maritime transit.
Under the agreement, Iran said it would facilitate the safe passage of commercial vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman for a period of 60 days without imposing charges. However, Tehran said such transit remains conditional on compliance with coordination procedures set by Iranian authorities.
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Following his return from Switzerland after initial talks linked to the 14-point memorandum of understanding, Qalibaf said Iran had demonstrated diplomatic leverage during negotiations with the United States.
He also claimed Tehran had influenced messaging from Washington during the talks, alleging that the US revised a social media post by US President Donald Trump within an hour after Tehran objected to references to Iran’s support for regional proxy groups.
Despite the engagement, Qalibaf reiterated Tehran’s distrust of Washington.
“We have never trusted the Americans; we don’t trust them now, and it is only reasonable to remain distrustful in the future,” he told state media.
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