Iran has set up a controlled shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz where vessels move only after direct coordination and approval from Tehran. Governments including China, Pakistan, India, Iraq, and Malaysia are engaging Iran directly to clear their ships, with the IRGC running a registration and vetting system for passage. At least 9 vessels have already transited using a route close to Larak Island, where Iranian naval and port authorities visually confirm them before exit. In at least one case, a tanker paid around $2 million for passage, marking the first known monetization of access through the strait under this system. Traffic remains limited, but the mechanism is in place. Movement through Hormuz is now structured, negotiated, and filtered through Iranian control rather than open transit.
