IRGC says it secured Hormuz shipping traffic
The IRGC reported its that navy recently secured the passage of 31 commercial vessels
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that its navy coordinated and protected the safe passage of 31 commercial vessels—including oil tankers and container ships—through the Strait of Hormuz in the previous 24 hours, claiming this operation maintained trade flows despite what it described as “unprecedented insecurity” caused by the US military in the Persian Gulf. The IRGC statement stressed that its naval units established secure transit routes to ensure continuity of global shipping.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority has formalized a supervisory management zone for the waterway and said movement now requires coordination and a permit. Documents and industry sources cited by international reporting describe a multi-layered Iranian transit system in which the IRGC vets vessels’ affiliations, inspects ships at times, and demands detailed disclosures from owners and operators—cargo value, flag, origin and destination, ownership and crew nationalities—to determine whether vessels have ties to the United States or Israel. The vetting process involves several state bodies, including ports and maritime authorities, the ministry of industry, the national shipping organization and the security overseer of the Supreme National Security Council.
Shipping officials report that Iran has consolidated de facto control over Hormuz through checkpoints, inspections and diplomatic arrangements, giving priority to ships linked to allies such as China and Russia while others may require government-to-government clearances or payments. Bilateral passage arrangements often involve formal requests routed through foreign ministries to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which then relays coordinates and instructions to the IRGC. Some countries have developed direct liaison mechanisms—India, a major oil importer, uses its embassy in Tehran and naval coordination to comply with Iranian vetting and instructions.
