Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced "new rules" for the country’s coastline along the Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The move, reportedly ordered by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, will see the IRGC Navy exercise tighter control over nearly 2,000 kilometers of Iran’s maritime borders. State-run Press TV reported on Friday that the measure aims to protect the "livelihood and strength" of the Iranian people while ensuring regional security.
Specific details of the new regulations have not yet been disclosed.
The announcement comes amid a volatile period for the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies. Tehran recently restricted passage through the strait in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes that began on February 28.
While a ceasefire was brokered by Pakistan on April 8, subsequent high-level talks in Islamabad on April 11–12 ended without a formal agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump later unilaterally extended the truce at Pakistan’s request, though no specific timeframe was set.
Since April 13, the United States has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the area. The IRGC’s new maritime rules are seen by analysts as a direct response to the U.S. blockade, heightening fears of a renewed confrontation in one of the world's most sensitive shipping lanes.
