Ships Crossing Hormuz Need IRGC OK, Unfreezing of Assets Part of Deal, Iran Official Says
April 17, 2026
By Parisa Hafezi and Jonathan SaulDUBAI, April 17 (Reuters) - All ships can sail through the Strait of Hormuz but this needs to be coordinated...
An Iranian official has declared that all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must now receive permission from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), linking the new protocol to a deal that includes the unfreezing of Iranian financial assets. This assertion of control over one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints signals a significant escalation in tensions and ties the security of global energy shipments directly to economic concessions for Tehran. The move complicates an already volatile situation, with a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports still in effect even as a fragile ceasefire holds in the region.
The new directive stipulates that commercial ships can pass through the strait, but only along designated routes approved by Iran and with explicit authorization from the IRGC Navy. According to the statement, military vessels are prohibited from entering the waterway. A senior Iranian official clarified that this would apply to all warships, but that even U.S. commercial vessels would be permitted passage if they adhere to the new coordination process. This announcement has caused immediate concern within the global shipping industry, which relies on the long-established principle of freedom of navigation through the strait. The International Maritime Organization's Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, stated that the agency is verifying the announcement's compliance with international law.
This maneuver by Tehran is part of a broader negotiation strategy amid ongoing talks with the United States. The Iranian official explicitly stated that the release of around $30 billion in Iranian funds, frozen under U.S. sanctions, was a component of the agreement to reopen the strait. Iran's economy has been under severe pressure, and the unfreezing of assets is seen as a critical demand for Tehran. This creates a direct quid pro quo, offering maritime security in exchange for economic relief, and places the IRGC at the center of both enforcing the policy and the potential benefits of a deal.
The international response has been cautious but tense. U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged that the strait is open but maintains that the U.S. blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports will continue until a final deal is complete. This creates a confusing and risky environment for commercial shipping, with hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers currently stranded in the Gulf. The U.S. Navy has previously conducted mine-clearing operations in the strait and has warned Iran against any attempts to disrupt navigation. The IRGC's assertion of authority is a direct challenge to the U.S. military's traditional role as the main guarantor of security in the region.
The situation remains fluid, with high-level divisions apparent even within the Iranian government. While Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced on social media that the strait was "completely open," this was quickly followed by the more restrictive and conditional statements from military officials and sources close to the IRGC. Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that if the U.S. blockade continues, the strait will not remain open. The coming days will be critical in determining whether this new directive leads to a diplomatic resolution that includes unfreezing assets or provokes a new phase of confrontation in the strategic waterway.
Source: usnews