Iranian Television: Ships Crossing Strait of Hormuz Require Coordination

Iranian state television said on Wednesday that ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz still require coordination with the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, signalling that Tehran continues to assert operational oversight over the strategic waterway. The broadcast did not specify what form the coordination should take or which categories of vessels are affected.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, linking the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and the open ocean. Roughly a fifth of global oil supply, along with large volumes of liquefied natural gas, transits the narrow passage, parts of which fall within Iranian territorial waters. The Revolutionary Guard's naval branch operates fast-attack craft in the area and has previously intercepted and detained commercial ships during periods of heightened tension.

Iranian officials have repeatedly tied the strait's status to the wider regional and nuclear standoff, and statements asserting control over passage are closely watched by shipping operators and insurers because of their potential impact on traffic and freight costs.

For Qatar, whose economy depends on LNG cargoes that sail through Hormuz to reach Asian and European markets, the security and free navigation of the strait remain a direct national interest.