Iran Establishes Persian Gulf Strait Authority to Enforce Toll Regime
Tehran's Supreme National Security Council announced the creation of the 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority' on May 18, 2026. The new body is tasked with managing all transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed to 'enemy' military traffic. The authority plans to impose a sovereign toll regime on commercial tankers. This move follows the failure of US-Iran negotiations and the implementation of a US-led maritime blockade on Iranian ports, threatening one-fifth of global oil trade.
Date: May 18, 2026
Location: Iran
Conflict: US-Iran Conflict
Category: naval
Severity: CRITICAL
Source: Windward AI