In a statement, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said Iran’s armed forces were exercising full authority over the management of the strategic waterway and would not tolerate any external interference.

The command said all commercial ships, vessels and oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz must use designated routes and obtain prior authorisation from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy before passage.

It stressed that compliance with Iranian regulations was mandatory and warned that vessels violating the rules could face risks to the safety of their transit.

The military command also issued a direct warning to foreign naval forces operating in the region, saying any military action to interfere with the management of the Strait of Hormuz or disrupt navigation would be met with a response from Iran’s armed forces.

“Any action by military vessels aimed at interfering in the management of the Strait of Hormuz or creating disruption in navigation will be targeted by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the statement said.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, carrying roughly 20 to 30 per cent of globally seaborne petroleum and crude oil supplies.

Iran said it has restricted access to the waterway for the United States and allied countries that it says participated in or supported recent US and Israeli military actions against the Islamic Republic.

Tehran tightened its control over the strait after US President Donald Trump announced a blockade of Iranian vessels and ports, a move Iranian officials described as a violation of ceasefire terms previously declared by Washington. Iranian authorities say the blockade has since been lifted.

The statement follows a claim by the IRGC Navy on Thursday that it forced a US oil tanker to turn back after the vessel allegedly attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz with its tracking system switched off.

Iran reiterated that the management and security of the Strait of Hormuz remain a core component of its national security policy and said it would not accept any outside interference in the waterway.

The IRGC Navy has also pledged to enforce what it described as a historic directive by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, regarding the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.