No commercial ships allowed in Strait of Hormuz without permission, Iran warns

In a stark assertion of maritime dominance, a top Iranian military official has declared that no commercial vessel is permitted to enter the strategic Strait of Hormuz without explicit authorization from Iran.

AzerNEWS reports that rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, made the remarks during a broadcast on state television, emphasizing that both sides of the critical choke point are under the strict surveillance of Iranian military forces.

According to Sayyari, responsibilities for policing the volatile waterway are divided between Iran's two naval branches. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy maintains tight control over the western approach, the strait itself, and the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, the regular Iranian Navy maintains a permanent presence over the eastern approach of the strait and the northern reaches of the Indian Ocean.

The Rear Admiral also highlighted the military's heavy reliance on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to project power over the shipping lanes. He noted that the Iranian army and the IRGC utilize an extensive fleet of drones to enforce Tehran’s oversight of the strategic waterway, adding that these drone systems can be prepped for launch rapidly, even under severe combat conditions.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most vital maritime transit routes, carrying a significant portion of the globe's total petroleum liquids and liquefied natural gas.