Iran limits Strait of Hormuz traffic to 15 ships daily under new rules: Report

Iran has imposed a hard cap on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting daily vessel passage to just 15 under the terms of its ceasefire agreement with the United States. Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported the figure Thursday, citing an unnamed senior Iranian source. Before the war, around 140 vessels moved through the strait each day. The new limit represents a drop of nearly 90 per cent through a waterway that carries roughly a fifth of global oil trade.

The 34-kilometre-wide channel between Iran and Oman is the sole maritime link between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, critical not just for crude oil but for fertilisers, petrochemicals and a broad range of commodities that keep global supply chains running.

IRGC takes the wheel

The Iranian source made the terms unambiguous. "This movement is strictly contingent upon Iran's approval and the enforcement of a specific protocol. This new regulatory framework, operating under the supervision of the IRGC, has been officially communicated to regional parties. There will be no return to the pre-war status quo," the source told TASS.

Under the framework outlined, vessels seeking to transit the strait will need to obtain clearance from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and pay a fee before being permitted through. During the two-week ceasefire window, that fee is set at $1 per barrel of oil, reportedly payable in cryptocurrency, a condition that reflects Tehran's intent to both assert control over the chokepoint and recover some of the costs incurred during recent US and Israeli strikes.

A fragile opening

Iran had effectively shut the strait to traffic since the United States and Israel launched their military campaign in late February, sending oil prices sharply higher and stoking fears of prolonged supply shortages. Restoring access to the waterway was made a central condition of the ceasefire that both sides agreed to on Wednesday.

But the fragility of that arrangement became apparent almost immediately. Within hours of the ceasefire taking effect, Iran halted the movement of oil tankers again, this time in response to Israeli strikes on Lebanon, casting doubt over how durable the pause in hostilities actually is.

Washington weighs in and looks to Europe

The longer-term picture around the strait remains murky. US President Donald Trump said Washington was exploring a potential "joint venture" with Iran to levy transit fees, a statement that has added another layer of uncertainty to an already unsettled situation.

Separately, the US has asked its European partners to submit detailed plans within days outlining how they propose to help secure navigation through the strait, a sign that Washington is looking to share the burden of keeping the waterway open as negotiations continue.