Iran has announced the formation of a new body to manage the Strait of Hormuz amid deadlocked peace talks with the United States and a stand-off over the shipping route that is vital for global oil trade.
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Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (NSC) posted on X about the creation of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), in a signal that Tehran is looking to formalize its grip on the critical waterway it has blockaded.
“In the Name of God. The official X account of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority is now live,” Monday’s post said, according to a translation, “follow us for real-time updates on Hormuz Strait operations and latest developments.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy shared the same post on social media. It is not immediately clear what this new body would do, but it has been reported that ships passing through the waterway are being sent regulations from the PGSA email address.
The announcement follows a statement made Saturday by Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee chair Ebrahim Azizi that Tehran had set up a system to manage traffic through the strait which would be soon unveiled.
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Before the start of the war on February 28, one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas transited through the strait, which has in effect been held hostage by Tehran, spiking global energy prices with knock-on effects for the global economy.
While President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that there would be a deal to unblock the strait and end the war, Tehran has insisted that maritime traffic through the strait would not return to its pre-war status.
Monday’s announcement about a formal body controlling the waterway appears to chime with that stated ambition.
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This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
