Supreme National Security Council announced on Monday the creation of a new body known as the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to oversee activities in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that Tehran has effectively restricted while proposing charges for ships passing through it.

In a post shared on its official X account, the new authority stated that it would provide “real-time updates” on operations and developments concerning the Strait of Hormuz. The naval arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also reposted the announcement.

Although the exact responsibilities of the new body remain unclear, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV had earlier described it as a mechanism designed to enforce Iran’s sovereignty over the waterway. Reports also claimed that vessels transiting the strait had begun receiving operational regulations from the authority.

Iran has significantly restricted shipping activities through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of conflict involving the United States and Israel on February 28. A fragile ceasefire has reportedly been in place since April 8.

Tehran’s increased control over the strategic route has unsettled global markets and strengthened Iran’s geopolitical leverage, while the United States has also imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Under normal conditions, the strait handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, in addition to other important commodities such as fertiliser.

Since the conflict began, Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that maritime movement through the strait would not return to pre-war conditions. Last month, Iran also claimed it had received its first revenue from tolls imposed on vessels using the waterway.

Meanwhile, Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, said on Saturday that the country had developed a “professional mechanism” for managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and that details would soon be unveiled.