Iran warns shipowners against unauthorized Hormuz routes

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned shipowners on Wednesday that any new transit route through the Strait of Hormuz established without coordination with Tehran is "unacceptable and dangerous," and said vessels ignoring its instructions could face action. The IRGC Navy stated that only routes designated by Iran are permitted and that coordination via a specific communication channel is mandatory.

"Navigation outside these routes is highly dangerous and prohibited, and we warn all vessels to strictly avoid any movement outside the designated corridors," the IRGC Navy said.

The warning followed a proposal from a naval information group on Saturday suggesting an alternative southern corridor along Omani waters, which it claimed was clear of mines. Traffic data from MarineTraffic showed a tentative rise, with 93 transits last weekend—still well below the pre-war average of more than 100 ships per day. On Tuesday, 31 commercial and energy-laden vessels were recorded crossing the strait using a mix of Iranian, Omani and IMO-approved routes.

"Operators are still moving cautiously rather than returning to fully normal traffic patterns," MarineTraffic said.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority in May, describing it as an attempt to "extort global maritime trade," and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Washington would not tolerate any tolling system on Hormuz. Analysts cautioned that continued Iranian operational control could keep oil flows below pre-war levels.

"Any end to the conflict that leaves Iran exercising operational control and influence over the Strait will result in appreciably lower flows through the waterway in our view," Helima Croft, head of global commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told clients.