In a demonstration of strength and strategic dominance, Iran completely overturns the facts in the Persian Gulf, leaving the West and Washington stunned. After the signing of the 60-day truce with the US, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority of Iran (PGSA) made a surprise checkmate move, assuming full control and management of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, imposing its own, inviolable rules.
While the western forces believed that the agreement would limit the Iranian influence, Tehran now appears as the ultimate guarantor of safety, security, and the environment in the most critical maritime passage of the planet. Presenting a superpower profile, Iran announced that it will not only not collect transit fees during the truce period, but it will entirely cover insurance costs and security services for merchant ships, obliging however every vessel to submit a transit request 48 hours in advance and to coordinate fully with the Iranian authorities.
With this strategic move, Tehran not only "locks" control of 20% of global oil, but shows in practice who now holds the keys to the global economy, forcing international shipping giants to comply with the new reality.
The checkmate move from Tehran
In more detail, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority of Iran (PGSA) announced today Friday (19/6/2026) that merchant ships wishing to sail in the Strait of Hormuz must submit a relevant request at least 48 hours in advance, during the 60-day truce between Iran and the United States.
The PGSA noted that no transit fees would be collected from ships and that Iran will cover the cost of fees for "security, safety, and environmental services", as well as insurance.
Also, it warned that ships must coordinate the time and route of their transit with the Authority, due to "security risks" in the Strait and for the avoidance of maritime accidents.
Question over the 80 mines in Hormuz
The center of the Strait of Hormuz is blocked by approximately 80 mines, which will have to be removed in order for normal navigation to resume, according to the independent association of tanker owners (Intertanko).
Several ships began exiting the Gulf through this critical maritime passage on Thursday, after the signing of a memorandum between the US and Iran. However, navigation is not expected to return to normal paces soon, even if the truce lasts, due to the mines and other obstacles, a fact that underlines the ongoing challenges for global trade.
"The main route through the middle of the Strait of Hormuz is closed, it is dangerous," stated Phil Belcher, marine director of Intertanko, the association of independent tanker owners. "The latest data we had show that there are 80 mines in the Strait of Hormuz. It is a huge number and it will take time to clear them."
During the conflict, Tehran placed mines in the center of the strait, in the traffic separation scheme, which applies between Iran and Oman since 1968, in order to restrict the movement of tankers and other ships.
About 20,000 seafarers were trapped on both sides of the channel, although some ships managed to sneak past at night near the coasts of Oman with their transponders turned off and with the help of the US. Other ships paid to travel through Iranian waters.
The shipping industry desires intensely the return to the typical route, which before the conflict allowed about 130 ships a day to cross the strait safely, from which about 20% of global oil passed.
"This looks like a highway where the middle lane is closed and you use the emergency lane," stated Belcher. "We need to open the highway so that the volume of traffic can pass safely. One of the big problems we face right now is the risk of navigation, the risk of grounding on the rocks. It is very close to the rocks on the southern route, the route of Oman."
Risks of collisions
With a large number of ships trying to pass through narrow areas of the strait, the shipping industry warns of the risk of collision. This risk is intensified by the "signal jamming" that Iran reportedly carried out during the conflict, where electronic interferences prevented the operation of the navigation and positioning systems of the ships, leaving them essentially sailing blindly.
A collision, grounding, or sinking could further disrupt global trade. Shipping companies still remember the disruption caused in 2021, when the container ship Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for a week. Nearly 600 ships are believed to still be in the Gulf, where they have been anchored since February, which means that the accumulation will take time to be eliminated.
Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of the shipping data provider Lloyd’s List, stated: "We are in uncharted waters. I do not think that navigation in the strait will return to normal levels this year."
The issue of transit fees
Further concerns remain regarding the statements of Iran that it plans to impose a shipping fee on ships crossing the strait. Such transit fees are illegal under international law. Under the terms of the US-Iran memorandum, Iran is obliged to ensure transit without fees for merchant ships for at least 60 days, with full restoration of traffic within 30 days. Tehran stated that it will charge fees to ships to cover the costs of managing the maritime route after the 60-day period.
The German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd stated that it would be "fundamentally wrong" to charge ships to pass through international waters. A spokesperson for the company added: "Transit fees for infrastructure like the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal are different, as they reflect large investments in infrastructure. This is not the case in the instance of the Strait of Hormuz."
The shipping industry is concerned that the imposition of fees by Iran could set a precedent for other key maritime channels bordering more than one state, including the Strait of Malacca, a narrow strip of water between Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, or the Taiwan Strait which separates the island of Taiwan from mainland China.
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