Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that 26 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz under its guidance over the past 24 hours as Tehran works to solidify its control over the critical waterway.
In a statement provided to state-affiliated media, the IRGC said vessels from various nations completed the requisite paperwork and safely moved through the strait under guidance from authorities.
The statement comes as Iranian authorities work to legalize Tehran’s control over Hormuz, through which at least 20% of the world’s oil travels each year. Iran’s Parliament is considering a proposal that would create a framework for ships to complete paperwork and pay fees to move safely through the strait.
Reports indicate that the IRGC has already consolidated its de facto control over the waterway, with armed patrol boats conducting inspection of cargo vessels and outlining routes for transiting ships.
Some ships have also been required to pay Iranian authorities hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees, according to one Reuters report, to secure safe passage through the strait.
Other ships, linked to Iran’s allies Russia and China, have been able to pass safely without paying massive fees to Tehran.
It remains unclear if the ships that the IRGC says successfully moved through Hormuz have also avoided the U.S. counterblockade of Iranian ports.
U.S. Central Command has insisted that the blockade, which went into effect last month, is nearly airtight and has redirected 90 ships.
