Iran’s newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) has announced the creation of a “controlled maritime zone” covering key waters of the Strait of Hormuz, signalling a major escalation in Tehran’s efforts to regulate one of the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors. In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, the authority said vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz will now require “coordination and authorisation” before passage through the designated zone. The move comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Gulf and ongoing negotiations involving Iran, the United States and regional actors over maritime security and ceasefire arrangements. The PGSA defined the controlled maritime zone as stretching from the line connecting Kuh-e Mobarak in Iran to southern Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on the eastern side of the strait, and from Qeshm Island in Iran to Umm Al Quwain in the UAE on the western side.
