Iran Reimposes Strait of Hormuz Restrictions, Prioritizes Fee-Paying Vessels After IRGC Fire

Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz and reimposed restrictions on ship movements, while also prioritizing passage for vessels that pay fees for security and safety services.

An Economic Times report, citing an official via CNN, said Iran decided “to give priority to those vessels that respond more quickly to the new Strait of Hormuz protocols and pay the costs of security and safety services,” and added that “Vessels that do not pay the fees will have their passage postponed.”

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The same report said the move came after Iran reimposed restrictions, citing “repeated breaches of trust” by the United States in the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between the two sides.

The Economic Times account also quoted an IRIB-published statement saying control over the Strait has been tightened and that the waterway is under “strict management and control” of Iran’s armed forces.

It further stated that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control of the armed forces.”

In parallel, Time Magazine reported that Iran reimposed “strict control” over the Strait of Hormuz as gunboats linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on commercial vessels on Saturday.

Time Magazine also said UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report of two gunboats opening fire on a tanker “20 miles north of Oman,” and later reported a separate incident in which a container ship was hit by an “unknown projectile.”

Multiple reports described a rapid swing from a brief period of reopening to renewed closure and strict military oversight of the Strait of Hormuz.

Time Magazine said Iran’s closure came “less than 24 hours after it was declared reopened,” and described it as choking off a vital shipping lane that carries “roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.”

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Hindustan Times similarly said the Strait “handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquified natural gas flows during normal conditions,” and reported that at least eight oil and gas tankers crossed the Strait on Saturday after Iran briefly signalled the route was open during an ongoing ceasefire.

Hindustan Times then reported that later in the day “two merchant vessels reported being hit by gunfire while attempting to transit the strait,” citing Reuters and three maritime security and shipping sources.

Hindustan Times also said maritime tracking data showed that several tankers approaching the strait had turned back near Iran’s Larak Island, which has been functioning as a checkpoint under Iranian control during the blockade.

It added that “The earlier closure of the strait has left hundreds of vessels stranded in the Gulf,” and linked the disruption to rising oil prices and higher shipping costs as operators avoided the region due to security concerns.

Modern Diplomacy framed the reversal as a response to what Iran described as a U.S. blockade of its ports, saying Iran announced on Saturday it was tightening control and declaring the energy route closed once again.

In the same set of accounts, Time Magazine said the U.S. refused to lift a naval blockade of Iranian ports and that CENTCOM said “23 ships have complied with their orders to turn around since it began.”

Iran’s tightening of control was accompanied by hostile messaging and reported attacks, while diplomacy unfolded with India raising concerns after gunfire on Indian-flagged ships.

Modern Diplomacy reported that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that Iran’s navy was prepared to deliver “new bitter defeats” to its enemies, and said reports indicated that at least two vessels were fired upon while navigating the strait.

Modern Diplomacy added that India summoned the Iranian ambassador in New Delhi to express its serious concerns regarding attacks on two Indian-flagged ships.

Time Magazine described the attacks in operational terms, saying UKMTO received a report of two gunboats opening fire on a tanker without issuing a radio challenge “20 miles north of Oman,” and later reported a container ship hit by an “unknown projectile.”

Time Magazine also said Reuters, citing merchant and shipping sources, reported additional vessels—including at least one Indian-flagged ship—had been hit by gunfire as they attempted to pass through the Strait.

Hindustan Times likewise said later in the day “two merchant vessels reported being hit by gunfire while attempting to transit the strait,” and noted that the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

In parallel, New York Post reported that US officials were preparing to intercept and take control of commercial vessels tied to Iran worldwide, describing it as a strategy aimed at choking Tehran’s economy and forcing Iran to reopen the strait and bend in nuclear talks.

Time Magazine added that Trump warned Iran not to “blackmail” the US with its closing of the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran got “a little cute” with the U.S., while also stating “We’re talking to them.”

The Strait of Hormuz dispute was tied in the reporting to a fragile ceasefire timeline and to negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, with Wednesday repeatedly described as a key deadline.

Time Magazine said fighting could resume if no long-term agreement is reached before the ceasefire expires Wednesday, and it described the “main sticking point” as Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, with U.S. officials pushing for it to be handed over as part of any deal.

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The same report said Iran’s national security council said it had received new U.S. proposals through Pakistani mediation and was reviewing them, but had not yet responded, while Tasnim News Agency reported that Iran had not agreed to a date for a second round of talks.

Modern Diplomacy similarly said there were no signs of direct negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend, despite President Trump stating discussions would occur, and it said Trump affirmed that Iran could not intimidate the U.S. by shutting down the strait.

Modern Diplomacy also reported that Trump had mentioned “some pretty good news” about Iran but indicated that fighting might resume if an agreement was not reached by Wednesday when the ceasefire would end.

New York Post described Trump saying Friday that Iran had agreed to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while noting that Iranian officials quickly rejected the assertion, and it said sticking points remained over how long Tehran would halt enrichment and whether it would regain access to billions in frozen funds.

The New York Post also said the U.S. has already blocked 23 ships from leaving Iranian ports as part of a growing naval barricade, with US Central Command posted on X Saturday.

Hindustan Times added that shipping activity had slowed sharply since the conflict escalated on February 28, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and it said the earlier closure left hundreds of vessels stranded in the Gulf.

The reporting also diverged in how it framed the same sequence of events—whether as a maritime control measure, an escalation of attacks, or a broader U.S. plan to seize vessels—while still describing overlapping operational details.

The Economic Times emphasized Iran’s fee-based prioritization and quoted an IRIB-published statement that the Strait is under “strict management and control” of Iran’s armed forces, while also saying the situation would persist unless Washington ensures “complete freedom of movement” for Iranian vessels.

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Time Magazine foregrounded the immediate tactical incidents, stating that Iran’s gunboats linked to the IRGC fired on at least three commercial vessels on Saturday and that UKMTO reported two gunboats opening fire on a tanker “20 miles north of Oman.”

Hindustan Times, while also citing gunfire, focused on traffic patterns and tracking data, saying at least eight tankers crossed the Strait and that several tankers turned back near Iran’s Larak Island, with “hundreds of vessels stranded in the Gulf.”

New York Post framed the response as a U.S. countermeasure, reporting that the Pentagon is preparing to intercept and take control of commercial vessels tied to Iran worldwide and quoting Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine warning that “The US will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran.”

Modern Diplomacy framed Iran’s move as a response to a U.S. blockade of its ports and described Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei threatening “new bitter defeats,” while also noting India’s diplomatic step in New Delhi.

In the same broader picture, Hindustan Times added that some vessels transiting the area were broadcasting destinations linked to India or China as an attempt to signal neutrality, and it reported that a cruise ship, Celestyal Discovery, crossed the strait on Friday.

Across the accounts, the immediate stakes centered on whether maritime traffic would resume, how long the blockade would persist, and whether the U.S. would expand enforcement beyond the region.

Time Magazine said the U.S. military is preparing in the coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, citing the Wall Street Journal, and described it as a step that would significantly expand the scope of the naval blockade.

It also said CENTCOM reported that “23 ships have complied with their orders to turn around since it began,” while adding that U.S. helicopters were “flying in and around the Strait providing a visible presence in support of freedom of navigation.”

Hindustan Times reported that the earlier closure left “hundreds of vessels stranded in the Gulf,” and said the disruption contributed to rising oil prices and higher shipping costs, with many ship operators avoiding the region due to security concerns including attacks or sea mines.

It also quoted BIMCO’s Jakob Larsen saying, “BIMCO believes shipping companies should consider avoiding the area,” and added that “The status of mine threats in (Iran's maritime) traffic separation scheme is unclear.”

The Economic Times report said Iran’s fee-based prioritization would continue unless Washington ensures “complete freedom of movement” for Iranian vessels, and it described Iran tightening control with the waterway under armed forces.

New York Post added that the U.S. has already blocked 23 ships from leaving Iranian ports and that the stepped-up campaign dubbed “Economic Fury” could draw in U.S. forces well beyond the Gulf.

Modern Diplomacy said Iran’s renewed stance created additional uncertainty in the region, raising concerns that oil and gas shipments through the strait might be disrupted again, and it noted that several merchant vessels received communications from Iran’s navy declaring that “no ships were permitted in the area.”