Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran has told mediators it will continue restricting the number of vessels allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and impose transit fees for the remainder of the ceasefire period, officials told The Wall Street Journal on Saturday.

The officials said ships transiting the strait would be required to coordinate with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which would retain the authority to block vessels from countries Tehran considers hostile. They added that Iran is pushing for a new management system for the waterway under any final agreement with the United States that would allow it to collect passage fees.

Shipping activity through the strait remains limited to permit-based lanes, according to Kpler, which said the restrictions were still in place hours after Washington and Tehran announced a full reopening of the waterway.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated yesterday that no new understandings have been reached with Washington following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that previous remarks by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi fall within the framework of the ceasefire agreement.

The naval command of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that non-military vessels may transit the strait only through routes approved by Iran, while military vessels remain barred from passage. It added that maritime traffic is subject to authorization by Iranian forces and is linked to the implementation of the ceasefire in Lebanon.