Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), the body overseeing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, announced on Sunday, 24 August that vessels breaching Iranian transit protocols will face restrictions on future passages through the strategically critical waterway. The announcement adds a formal enforcement layer to Tehran's tightening grip on one of the world's most vital oil shipping corridors.

What the PGSA Announced

The authority issued the warning in a post on social media platform X, detailing that non-compliant vessels could face penalties including fines, detention, or confiscation. The PGSA also urged cargo owners shipping to and from the Persian Gulf to consult its published list of 'Non-Compliant Vessels' on its official website before chartering ships, in order to avoid potential disruptions.

Iran's Parliament Moves to Charge Strait Fees

Hassan Qashqavi, spokesman of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, confirmed on Sunday that the committee had approved an article within a draft plan aimed at securing the strait. According to reports citing the semi-official Fars news agency, the article — cleared during the committee's Sunday session — authorises Iran to levy fees for services it provides in the waterway. These include charges for navigation, environmental services, refuelling under special conditions, insurance, and safety services.

Notably, this legislative move follows Iran's February crackdown and signals a shift from informal pressure to codified commercial and punitive mechanisms in the strait.

Trump's Claim: 'It's American Territory'

The developments come amid sharp rhetoric from US President Donald Trump, who recently described the Strait of Hormuz as 'American territory' — a claim with no established basis in international maritime law. Trump made the remarks at a campaign rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he was drumming up support for Republican Senate candidate Darlene Graham ahead of Tuesday's runoff election.

'They wanna make a deal so badly,' Trump said while discussing Iran, before declaring the waterway American. He did not elaborate on any legal or territorial justification for the assertion. Trump also suggested that the standoff with Iran had diverted attention from his domestic economic agenda, saying: 'I hate to do this, but we're gonna have to take a little detour down to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we're gonna have to put out the nuclear weapons stuff because they're gonna have a nuclear weapon and we cannot let them have a nuclear weapon.'

Background: How the Strait Became a Flashpoint

Iran's escalating posture in the Strait of Hormuz dates formally to 28 February, when Tehran barred safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States, following what Iran described as joint strikes on Iranian territory. The strait handles roughly 20% of global oil trade, making any disruption to its traffic a matter of international economic concern.

Sunday's PGSA announcement and the parliamentary fee-charging article together represent a further institutionalisation of Iran's leverage over the chokepoint — moving beyond ad hoc seizures toward a structured regulatory and revenue framework.

What Comes Next

The draft plan containing the fee-charging article still requires full parliamentary approval before it takes legal effect. Shipping industry observers will be watching whether the 'Non-Compliant Vessels' list expands and whether any major flag states formally contest Iran's protocols. With US-Iran nuclear talks in an uncertain state and Trump's rhetoric intensifying, the Strait of Hormuz is likely to remain a focal point of geopolitical tension in the weeks ahead.