The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), which the Iranian government established under the pretext of managing navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, designated the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding area as a controlled zone.
On the 20th (local time), the authority said on the social platform X that it had made the decision. The authority explained that the eastern boundary of the controlled zone is a straight line connecting Iran's Kuh-e Mobarak and Fujairah in the south of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the western boundary is a line connecting the tip of Iran's Qeshm Island and Umm Al Quwain in the UAE.
The authority emphasized that any vessel seeking to transit the Strait of Hormuz through the controlled zone must undergo prior coordination and obtain official authorization.
Earlier, on the 18th, the authority opened an X account, saying, "In the name of God, the authority's official X account is launching operations," and added, "Follow us for real-time information on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the latest developments."
Later the same day, it warned, "The authority is the control body responsible for managing navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the legal representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran," adding, "Navigation within the designated area of the Strait of Hormuz, as set by Iran's military authorities and government officials, must be coordinated in advance with this body, and unauthorized passage will be considered illegal."