IRGC announces new control zone in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has released a new map of an area in the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran says is under the control and management of Iran’s armed forces, Iranian state media reported.

According to the IRGC, the zone is bounded in the west by a line between the westernmost point of Iran’s Qeshm Island and the UAE emirate of Umm al-Quwain, and in the east by a line between Iran’s Mount Mobarak and the UAE emirate of Fujairah.

The IRGC said vessels that violate the new rules would be detained. It also said the safety of civilian and commercial vessels following transit protocols and coordinating with naval forces would be ensured.

Reuters said it was not immediately clear whether, or to what extent, the boundaries of Iran’s claimed control area had changed from previous assertions. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes for oil shipments.