Iran publishes vessel blacklist for Strait of Hormuz, threatens seizures
Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) on Sunday published a new 'Non-Compliant Vessels' list, warning that ships accused of violating Iranian regulations governing transit through the Strait of Hormuz could face fines, detention, seizure or confiscation.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the authority said vessels placed on the list may be barred from future transit or subjected to penalties. The announcement is the latest escalation in Tehran's broader push to exert greater control over one of the world's most strategically important shipping lanes as regional tensions remain high.
Since mid-March, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been running what amounts to a 'tollbooth' for the waterway, subjecting foreign-flagged vessels to a strict vetting process before they are allowed to transit through Iranian waters after paying a fee. Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted that the payments are maritime service fees, not tolls.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told the semiofficial Tasnim news agency earlier this year that the charges would offset costs for services such as navigational assistance, vessel insurance and environmental protection measures jointly administered by Iran and Oman.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy chokepoint, connecting the Persian Gulf to international shipping routes. A significant share of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes through the narrow passage, making any new restrictions on maritime traffic closely watched by governments, shipping companies and energy markets.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said that once the U.S. 'finishes defeating Iran,' he would 'pretty soon' declare the strait 'a territory of the United States.' He asserted that Washington effectively controls the international waterway through its naval blockade of Iranian ports, a notion Iran pushed back on as 'delusion.'
Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment via email on Sunday evening.
The PGSA's move could complicate shipping operations for vessel owners and cargo companies that rely on the route. The authority said vessels found violating its protocols may be barred from future transit or subjected to penalties, while ships that conduct ship-to-ship transfers or transshipment activities with blacklisted vessels could themselves be added to the list.
Already-listed vessels face restrictions on future passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and cargo owners moving goods to or from the Persian Gulf are being advised to review the list before chartering ships in order to avoid potential complications during transit, according to the PGSA's statement.
Operators seeking to have their names removed must submit a request and explanation to the authority for review. The list is published on the agency's website and will be updated as additional vessels are designated, the statement said.
The authority said the list currently includes dozens of vessels accused of violating transit regulations. The 46 vessels are registered across 17 flag states, with nearly half — 21 vessels — flying the Liberian flag and another seven registered in the Marshall Islands.
The list also includes vessels flagged to India, Saudi Arabia, Malta, Antigua and Barbuda, Panama, Singapore, Cyprus, Bermuda, Mali, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Kuwait, Oman, Barbados and Togo. The concentration in open-registry countries such as Liberia and the Marshall Islands highlights the complex web of international registration behind vessels targeted by Iranian authorities.
Cargo ships are seen at sea in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, from a rocky shoreline near Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, on May 1. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair, File)
Tankers and cargo vessels are seen in the Gulf of Oman, along shipping routes linking the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea on June 16. (AP Photo)
Shipping companies, charterers and cargo owners are likely to scrutinize the new list and assess whether vessels they use could be impacted by the restrictions. Maritime industry observers will also be watching for any enforcement actions by Iranian authorities against ships designated as non-compliant.
The development adds a new layer of uncertainty to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has already been affected by geopolitical tensions and heightened security concerns throughout 2026. It is unclear how the blacklist may affect the price of goods, which has already climbed since the war began in February.