Sunday 31 / May / 2026
Tehran: Iran has reasserted its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, issuing a stern warning that both mercantile and naval vessels must strictly adhere to shipping protocols in the crucial maritime corridor or face potential repercussions.
According to a statement carried by Iranian media, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters declared, "The management of the Strait of Hormuz is exercised with full authority by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The military command went on to emphasise that "all ships, commercial vessels, and tankers are only required to travel through the designated routes and obtain permission from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. Any violation of these regulations will seriously jeopardise the security of their traffic."
Tehran additionally cautioned international naval contingents deployed in the region, asserting that any disruption to shipping administration or vessel traffic would trigger a swift countermeasure.
This warning coincided with Qatar renewing its stance against the implementation of any permanent maritime levies on vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, affirmed that Doha and its regional allies remain opposed to an indefinite tariff framework.
"Qatar and also the partners in the Gulf stated very clearly that charging fees will always impact the consumer, so we are against this," Sheikh Saoud noted during the summit.
However, the Qatari minister suggested that temporary financial solutions could be open to negotiation under specific circumstances.
He observed, "But for certain times that they say they will use it for mine-clearing or some usage of the fees for a temporary time, this is something that is negotiable."
