Iran's Strait of Hormuz Authority announced that vessels may now transit the chokepoint if they submit applications and meet new requirements, following a memorandum of understanding with the United States. Applications must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance, according to new procedures published Friday.
The new details, published Friday by Iran's Strait of Hormuz Authority, require vessels to submit transit applications at least 48 hours in advance, formalizing the clearance mechanism first reported by The Zioneer at 21:53 Jerusalem on Thursday, June 18. That evening, within minutes, the desk published a rapid sequence of seven updates: Iran's Supreme National Security Council issued regulations under the Islamabad MOU, established the 'Persian Strait Authority' (PGSA.ir), announced a 60-day fee waiver, and — citing N12 — stated vessels could pass if they met U.S. MOU terms, while an HFI Institute assessment projected the IRGC would cap daily transits at 30–40 ships.
This regulatory shift follows weeks of Iranian blockade enforcement. The Zioneer reported on June 11 that a newly-formed Strait of Hormuz Authority had declared an indefinite administrative closure. The following day, the IRGC fired a warning shot at one vessel and launched a missile at another attempting to cross, while U.S. forces intercepted Iranian attack drones targeting commercial shipping. On June 13, further warning shots were reported from Qeshm Island. By Friday at 13:48 Jerusalem, Iran was still threatening continued closure and demanding Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
The new pre-clearance regime partially reverses that posture but retains Iranian control over traffic. As The Zioneer has reported, a full reopening of the strait is scheduled for Friday, June 19, under the Islamabad Agreement — the same day these procedures were published. It remains unclear whether the 48-hour advance application represents the start of a phased reopening, or whether the announced limits on daily passage will be enforced, creating a bottleneck at one of the world's most vital energy chokepoints.
What remains open: the timeline for actual processing of applications, whether the 30–40 vessel cap will be imposed in practice, and whether the clearance regime meets U.S. and international demands for unrestricted passage. The gap between announced procedures and on-water enforcement has yet to be tested.
9 developments
- StrongIran's Hormuz Authority warns vessels to use only official channels for transit requests
- ConfirmedNew Iranian body declares Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice
- DevelopingIranian forces block tanker in Strait of Hormuz, Fars reports
- DevelopingIran Begins Charging Ships for Strait of Hormuz Transit — Up to $2 Million Per Vessel
Source and signal
- Internal intake