Iran's Armed Forces to Control Strait of Hormuz: Key Plan Details
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Iran's parliament is advancing a landmark legislative plan that would formally designate the general staff of Iran's armed forces as the primary authority over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically vital waterways. The draft, titled the "Strategic Action Plan to Ensure Security and Progress in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf," is set to be voted on by the Iranian legislature imminently, with sweeping implications for global maritime trade and regional geopolitics.
Key Developments in the Hormuz Draft Plan
Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, outlined the plan's core provisions in an interview with state-run IRIB TV on Monday, April 27. According to Azizi, the draft comprises approximately 11 articles and is specifically designed to restrict the passage of what Iran classifies as hostile vessels through the strait.
Notably, the plan mandates that all financial proceeds collected from the strait must be denominated in Iran's national currency, the rial — a move that signals Tehran's intent to assert economic sovereignty over one of the world's most critical chokepoints. This comes amid intensifying US-Iran tensions and ongoing nuclear negotiations, adding a sharp geopolitical edge to what is ostensibly a domestic legislative measure.
Compensation Demands and Historical Grievances
One of the plan's more provocative provisions requires that all governments, establishments, and countries that have allegedly inflicted financial losses on Iran — through asset freezes, sanctions, or other hostile actions — must pay compensation. Azizi did not name specific nations, but the language is widely seen as directed at the United States and its allies, which have maintained sweeping sanctions on Tehran for decades.
Azizi further stated that Iran's armed forces are already fully and smartly controlling the strait based on directives from higher echelons of power, underlining that this legislative plan formalises and expands existing operational mandates.
Supreme Leader's Directive Behind the Plan
Significantly, Azizi confirmed that the parliamentary plan has been drafted in alignment with measures proposed by Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has reportedly stressed the need for new management over the Strait of Hormuz. This detail is critical — it signals that the bill carries the highest level of political endorsement within Iran's power structure, making its passage into law virtually certain.
In separate remarks, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, another member of the same parliamentary committee, confirmed that the plan will be passed into law immediately after the reopening of the Iranian parliament, after which it will be submitted to the administration for enforcement, according to IRIB.
IRGC Navy to Collect Strait Tolls
Perhaps the most operationally significant detail is the financial mechanism embedded in the plan. Boroujerdi revealed that the Central Bank of Iran has already opened four special accounts — denominated in the rial, yuan, dollar, and euro — into which tolls collected by the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from vessels crossing the strait will be deposited. This effectively institutionalises a toll system managed by a body that the United States has designated as a terrorist organisation, raising immediate concerns among global shipping operators and Western governments.
Impact on Global Shipping and Energy Markets
The Strait of Hormuz is the transit point for approximately 20% of the world's oil supply, making it a linchpin of global energy security. Any formalised Iranian authority to restrict or toll passage could trigger sharp reactions from the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is headquartered in Bahrain and maintains a consistent presence in the region. Critics argue that formalising IRGC control over the strait could escalate maritime incidents and drive up global oil prices. This is not the first time Iran has threatened to close or restrict the strait — Tehran has periodically invoked this leverage during periods of heightened sanctions pressure. However, a formal parliamentary law would mark a significant escalation in that posture. How the international community responds in the coming days will be closely watched.