Persian Gulf Strait Authority

In March 2026, Iran declared that vessels would be required to pay for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that was swiftly exploited by scam operators offering fraudulent transit documents in exchange for cryptocurrency payments. To address this issue and bring clarity to maritime traffic procedures, Iran established the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) with an official email contact. Under this system, shipowners receive verifiable guidance and can apply for transit permits directly through the PGSA’s formal process, creating a centralised and transparent mechanism for coordinating transit through the strait with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is charged with securing the waterway. ==Reception and legal status==

Under Article 34 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the regime of waters forming a strait used for international navigation does not affect the right of transit passage, which coastal states may neither suspend nor condition on prior authorization. On 1 May 2026, the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued an advisory warning that payments to Iran for passage through the strait exposed both US and non-US persons to sanctions risk. The advisory specified that the risk applied regardless of payment method, including cash, digital assets, in-kind transfers, and charitable donations to Iranian-linked entities such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Non-US firms facilitating such payments were warned of potential secondary sanctions, including restrictions on access to the US financial system. Industry analysts noted that compliance with the PGSA permit process, where it involved transit payments, could itself trigger sanctions exposure for shipping companies. Richard Meade of Lloyd's Intelligence told CNN that the new system appeared designed to "formalize" Iranian authority over transits through the strait. ==See also==