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International Relations May 06, 2026 5 min read Daily brief · #8 of 27

Iran enforces new ‘sovereign’ transit rules in Strait of Hormuz, mandates prior permits for vessels

Iran activated a new "sovereign governance system" for the Strait of Hormuz, requiring all commercial vessels to obtain prior transit permits through the Per...

GS Paper 2 (International Relations International Law) GS Paper 3 (Energy Security)

What Happened

  • Iran activated a new "sovereign governance system" for the Strait of Hormuz, requiring all commercial vessels to obtain prior transit permits through the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) before entering the waterway.
  • The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy warned it would "forcefully stop" any vessels that deviate from designated maritime corridors or fail to comply with the new permit regime.
  • Ships are required to receive email notifications from info@PGSA.ir outlining transit rules and designated routes; any deviation is declared "unsafe" and subject to "decisive action."
  • Iran's Parliament is considering draft legislation to make these wartime transit measures permanent, including a formal ban on vessels associated with the United States or Israel and a tolling system for all other commercial traffic.
  • The IRGC stated it would allow "safe and stable" transit for compliant vessels, framing the system as legitimate sovereign maritime governance over Iranian territorial waters.

Static Topic Bridges

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), concluded in 1982 and in force since 16 November 1994, established the doctrine of "transit passage" as the governing legal regime for international straits. Transit passage guarantees all ships and aircraft the right of continuous and expeditious passage through straits used for international navigation, without prior notification or permission requirements.

  • UNCLOS Article 38: Right of transit passage through international straits — cannot be suspended even in time of war (prevailing customary international law position)
  • UNCLOS Article 42: Coastal state laws and regulations relating to transit passage are strictly limited (safety, navigation, pollution prevention); blanket permit requirements are not permissible
  • The Strait of Hormuz qualifies as an "international strait" under UNCLOS criteria (used for international navigation between one part of the high seas and another)
  • Neither the United States nor Iran has ratified UNCLOS; Iran signed in 1982 but objected to the transit passage provisions at the time of signing and has consistently maintained those objections
  • Iran's counter-argument: only UNCLOS parties can invoke transit passage rights; without ratification, the US and allied vessels must seek permission under Iranian domestic law
  • UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (March 11, 2026): condemned Iran's closure and affirmed freedom of navigation as an obligation under international law

Connection to this news: Iran's new permit system is framed as sovereign governance over its territorial waters, directly challenging the customary international law principle of free transit passage. The legal ambiguity created by non-ratification of UNCLOS by both Iran and the US is being exploited by Tehran to justify its permit regime.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — Institutional Role

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a branch of Iran's armed forces established in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution, distinct from the conventional Iranian military (Artesh). The IRGC has a parallel military, naval, and intelligence structure, and controls significant economic assets within Iran.

  • IRGC was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) by the United States in April 2019 — the first instance of a state military organ receiving such a designation
  • IRGC Navy (IRGCN) has primary operational responsibility for the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, distinct from the regular Iranian Navy which operates in the Gulf of Oman and beyond
  • IRGCN operates swarms of small fast-attack craft, mines, and shore-based anti-ship missiles — asymmetric tools particularly effective in the confined Hormuz geography
  • The IRGCN's enforcement of transit rules represents the organisation's expanding quasi-regulatory role in critical infrastructure governance

Connection to this news: The IRGC Navy's issuance of transit warnings and the establishment of the PGSA permit system place a designated terrorist organisation in the position of regulating global commercial shipping — a precedent with significant implications for maritime insurance, flag state responsibilities, and multilateral shipping governance.

Maritime Chokepoints and the Law of the Sea — Strategic Geography

International maritime law distinguishes between different navigational zones: Internal Waters, Territorial Sea (12 nautical miles from baselines), Contiguous Zone (24 nm), Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nm), and the High Seas. Straits that lie entirely within the territorial sea of one or two states but are used for international navigation are governed by the transit passage regime under UNCLOS Part III.

  • The Strait of Hormuz is 21 nautical miles wide at its narrowest point — entirely within the combined territorial seas of Iran and Oman
  • The two shipping lanes (inbound and outbound) and a separation zone are only 2 nautical miles wide each, making enforcement of designated corridors physically feasible
  • Oman has not endorsed Iran's permit system; Omani territorial waters form the southern boundary of the strait
  • Lloyd's of London war risk insurance premiums for vessels transiting Hormuz have reportedly risen by multiple multiples since the conflict began
  • The concept of "innocent passage" (applicable in territorial seas, not international straits) requires ships to be "non-prejudicial to peace, good order or security" — a standard Iran is invoking to justify permit requirements

Connection to this news: Iran's designated corridor system exploits the physical geography of the strait — the lanes are narrow enough that Iranian military enforcement is practically viable — turning a legal argument into an operational reality that global shipping must reckon with regardless of the underlying legal merits.

Key Facts & Data

  • Strait of Hormuz width at narrowest: 21 nautical miles
  • Shipping lane width (each directional lane): 2 nautical miles
  • Iran's new permit authority: Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), contact info@PGSA.ir
  • IRGC designated as Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the US: April 2019
  • UNCLOS adoption: 1982; entry into force: 16 November 1994
  • UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (March 11, 2026): condemned Iran's closure, affirmed freedom of navigation
  • Proposed Iranian legislation: permanent ban on US/Israel-linked vessels + tolling system for others
  • Global oil transit through Hormuz: ~20% of petroleum, ~20% of LNG annually
  • Vessel traffic in Hormuz post-closure: ~5% of pre-conflict levels
On this page
  1. What Happened
  2. Static Topic Bridges
  3. Transit Passage Rights Under UNCLOS — The Legal Dispute
  4. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — Institutional Role
  5. Maritime Chokepoints and the Law of the Sea — Strategic Geography
  6. Key Facts & Data
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