Iran introduces new rules for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz - CNN
Kyiv • UNN
Tehran demands detailed information about vessel owners and crew for passage through the strait. The movement of US and Israeli ships is now officially restricted.
Iran has introduced a series of new rules for vessels seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reports, citing a relevant document, according to UNN.
Details
The document, titled "Vessel Information Declaration," is an application form issued by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) that all transit vessels must complete to ensure their safe passage.
The form contains over 40 questions requiring each vessel to provide its name, identification number, previous name, country of origin, and country of destination, among other details. It also asks for the nationality of the registered owner, manager, and crew members.
Iran stated that it is restricting passage through the waterway for vessels linked to the US or Israel. Until February 28, when the US and Israel launched a war against Iran, ships were not required to share any information to transit the strait, the publication writes.
As Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a maritime data and analytics service, noted, the list of requirements "looks quite similar to questions we knew were already being asked of shipowners," adding that this, however, "formalizes the structure and appears to be a move by Iran aimed at normalizing its authority over transit."
On Tuesday, Iran established the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) to manage passage. Under the new system, all vessels intending to transit the strait will receive an email from an address associated with the PGSA containing information on passage rules, Iranian Press TV reports.
An email from the PGSA, shared with CNN by Meade and a second source, shows the administration warning that "complete and accurate information is essential" for processing a vessel's transit request and that "further instructions will be communicated via email."
The move is the latest step in Tehran's efforts to formalize control over the international strait, through which vessels sailed freely before the war.
On Wednesday, a message was posted on the Telegram social media page of Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, outlining his vision for the future of the Persian Gulf.
The leader called for a "new regional and global order within the strategy of a strong Iran," where there will be no place for foreigners "and their abuses." He specifically noted the "use of the lever of closing the strait" as one of the ways to achieve this goal.
In late April, a statement attributed to Khamenei indicated that Iran would create a mechanism to control vessel traffic in the waterway.
The statement said Iran would introduce a "new legal framework and management system for the Strait of Hormuz," which would benefit neighbors and prove economically advantageous.
"Foreigners who come from thousands of kilometers away and act maliciously out of greed have no place there, except at the bottom of its waters," the statement added.