Iran Expands Grip Over Hormuz As Trump Pulls Back From Strike

Iran has dramatically escalated tensions in the Gulf by unveiling sweeping new control boundaries around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz — effectively asserting broader authority over one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints.

Under the newly declared framework, Iranian authorities say vessels transiting through the Strait will now require coordination and authorisation from Tehran’s newly established “Persian Gulf Strait Authority.”

The announcement immediately raised fears that Iran is moving toward de facto control over huge stretches of Gulf shipping lanes at a moment when the region is already teetering on the edge of wider war.

Tehran Draws New Lines Across The Gulf

According to the Iranian statement, the new supervision zone stretches:

• From Kuh Mobarak in Iran to southern Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates in the east

• And from Qeshm Island to Umm al-Qaiwain in the west

The move significantly broadens the area Tehran claims authority to monitor and regulate around Hormuz — the narrow maritime corridor through which a massive share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes every day.

Shipping analysts and military observers are likely to interpret the declaration as an attempt to formalise what Iran has long pursued informally: strategic leverage over global energy flows.

Trump Steps Back From Attack

The announcement came just after Donald Trump revealed he had postponed a planned military strike against Iran following pressure from Gulf leaders and indications that negotiations may still succeed.

Trump said he halted the operation after discussions with:

• Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

• Mohammed bin Salman

The president claimed “serious negotiations” are now underway and suggested a deal could still emerge.

But he also warned the military remains on full alert.

“I have instructed the United States Military that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack,” Trump said — before adding forces remain prepared for a “full, large-scale assault” at a moment’s notice if talks collapse.

Oil Markets And Global Trade On Edge

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most dangerous pressure points in the global economy.

Roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supply passes through the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

Any Iranian effort to restrict, delay or regulate international shipping could send energy prices surging worldwide and risk direct confrontation with the US Navy and allied Gulf states.

The timing of Tehran’s move is particularly significant because it suggests Iran is trying to strengthen its negotiating leverage while simultaneously demonstrating that it still possesses the capacity to disrupt global trade despite months of military pressure.

A Dangerous Balancing Act

Trump’s pause appears designed to buy time for diplomacy while avoiding an immediate regional explosion.

Yet the competing signals from both sides underline how fragile the situation remains.

Iran is publicly expanding its claims of authority over critical Gulf waters.
The US is publicly preparing for possible large-scale strikes.
And energy markets remain acutely sensitive to every new threat around Hormuz.

The result is a volatile standoff where neither side appears ready for full war — but both are actively positioning themselves for the possibility that diplomacy could fail within days.

SOURCE

Meanwhile...

Twenty-six ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours in coordination with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, according to a report by the Iranian news agency Tasnim published on Wednesday.

The ships reportedly included oil tankers, cargo ships and other commercial vessels.

The Iranian leadership says it has established a regulatory body to oversee shipping traffic in the strait following the outbreak of the war. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) is calling on shipping companies to coordinate their movements with it.

Passing through without authorization will be considered illegal, according to a statement by the newly established authority on X.

Iran says 26 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 24 hours

I wonder if all those ships were Chinese or Russian.