Last Updated on July 12, 2026 11:45 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS
AMN / NEWS DESK
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) has announced that maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz has been temporarily suspended, attributing the disruption to what it described as “illegal” military activities by the United States in the region.
In a statement posted on its official X account on Sunday, the authority said vessels would not be permitted to transit the strategic waterway until conditions return to normal.
“We hereby inform all esteemed applicants: Due to the recent illegal movements of the United States’ military forces in the region, passage through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not possible,” the statement said.
The PGSA, which oversees the authorization and regulation of maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz—the key shipping lane connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman—said all transit permits remain suspended until stability is restored.
The authority also reminded shipping operators that PGSA.ir is the sole official platform for submitting transit permit applications. It said pending requests would be processed in accordance with the established schedule once normal operations resume and the security situation improves.
According to the PGSA, its mandatory online clearance system is designed to coordinate vessel movements and enhance navigational safety along designated transit routes through the strait.
The authority further alleged that continued US military operations in and around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted commercial navigation and violated the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, while reiterating its position that foreign military forces have no role in the management of the strategically important waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s busiest energy corridors, with a significant share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through the narrow maritime passage each day. Any disruption to traffic in the strait is closely watched by global energy markets and the international shipping industry.
US says Strait of Hormuz open to all vessels and American military ready to ensure freedom of navigation
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all vessels seeking lawful passage hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the strategic waterway until further notice.
The statement came after US President Donald Trump said in a press meeting that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping.
In a social media post, CENTCOM said maritime traffic continues to flow through the strait and that US forces are positioned to ensure freedom of navigation despite what it described as Iranian aggression, harassment, threats and arbitrary declarations. It asserted that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz and that safe transit routes remain open. CENTCOM added that US forces have facilitated the passage of more than 800 ships and over 400 million barrels of crude oil through the waterway over the past two months.
Earlier, the United States carried out fresh airstrikes on Iran after Tehran attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, setting it on fire and forcing its crew to abandon ship. According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted around 140 Iranian military sites, including missile, drone and communications facilities.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Qatar and Kuwait said they intercepted the incoming projectiles, while Bahrain activated missile alerts. Iran also claimed to have struck a US military base in Jordan.
The latest escalation has heightened concerns over regional security and global energy markets, as the Strait of Hormuz is a critical shipping route for a significant share of the world’s oil and natural gas trade.
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