The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy on Thursday declared that safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz is only possible via routes officially designated by Iran, and described any alternative corridors announced without Tehran’s coordination as “unacceptable and extremely dangerous.” The statement, carried by Iranian state media, came hours after Oman announced a temporary shipping corridor through its territorial waters, which Muscat said had been coordinated with the International Maritime Organization and was free of mines and transit fees.

The IRGC’s warning underscores Iran’s insistence on retaining operational control over the strategic chokepoint, a position articulated by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who said the strait’s administration “will never go back to the way it was before the war.” Tehran has established a tiered access system, dividing states into friendly, neutral, and hostile categories, and has signalled it will eventually impose what it calls maritime service fees. The United States, by contrast, maintains that the strait is an international waterway. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, touring Gulf capitals, said Washington would not accept any tolls or fees, warning that such measures could trigger “total chaos.” The US Treasury in May sanctioned Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, accusing it of extorting global maritime trade.

The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of a fragile diplomatic process. A memorandum of understanding signed electronically by the US and Iranian presidents on 17 June, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, stipulates free commercial passage for 60 days while negotiators work toward a final peace agreement. However, the IRGC’s rejection of the Omani corridor — which Oman presented as a temporary, IMO-coordinated measure — illustrates the gap between the MoU’s broad commitments and the operational reality on the waterway. Shipping data shows a partial recovery in transit numbers since the ceasefire, but volumes remain well below pre-war levels, and operators are navigating a patchwork of Iranian, Omani, and IMO-recommended routes. Analysts at RBC Capital Markets have warned that any enduring Iranian control over the strait could permanently suppress oil transit flows.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, was effectively blockaded by Iran after the US and Israel launched strikes on 28 February 2026, triggering a wider conflict. A ceasefire took effect on 8 April, and the MoU opened a 60-day window for talks on a final settlement. Iran and Oman announced on Tuesday the formation of a joint committee to study the costs of administering the strait, a move that suggests Tehran is preparing the ground for a fee regime. With the IRGC now publicly rejecting any route not under its authority, the next phase of negotiations will need to reconcile Iran’s assertion of sovereignty with the US-led demand for unrestricted freedom of navigation. The joint committee’s findings and the expiration of the 60-day free-passage period are the next concrete milestones.