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At least 25 ships have passed through Strait of Hormuz: IRGC Navy

May 23, 2026 08:00 PM

Tehran : At least 25 vessels successfully navigated through the strategic Strait of Hormuz over 24 hours, according to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, as reported by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.


The passage of these maritime vessels occurred amid rigorous supervisory protocols maintained over the critical global energy channel. "In the past 24 hours, 25 ships, including oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial vessels, passed through the Strait of Hormuz after obtaining permission with the coordination and security of the IRGC Navy," the IRGC statement detailed.


These latest figures follow a separate announcement by the IRGC Navy on Friday, which noted that 35 vessels, encompassing oil tankers, container ships, and various cargo craft, had crossed the waterway during the prior 24 hours under its direct security and coordination oversight, Fars News Agency reported.


The subsequent updates point to a shifting volume of traffic navigating the highly important chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. The IRGC Navy has enforced rigorous operational jurisdiction over the route, mandating that all transit vessels secure formal permits and clearances to ensure safe travel.


This fluctuating maritime activity is reflected in a comparison with earlier tallies from the week, where Friday's count of 35 vessels showed a brief rise from the preceding days. On Thursday, naval authorities reported that 31 merchant ships, including container carriers and oil tankers, completed their passage through the strait within the previous 24-hour window under the force's protection and coordination.


That total marked a slight increase from an even quieter period earlier in the week, during which the IRGC Navy logged 26 transiting ships. Authorities stated that those voyages were similarly conducted in coordination with their forces to guarantee secure passage through the maritime route.


These tightly regulated ship movements are taking place against a backdrop of severe regional instability that has fundamentally transformed global shipping patterns. Prior to the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz operated as an open corridor, facilitating the transit of approximately one-quarter of the world's seaborne petroleum trade and one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas supplies.


However, in the wake of a declared ceasefire, Tehran clarified its intentions to maintain a firm grip on the waterway. The Iranian government announced it would restrict or completely bar adversarial vessels from entering the channel, while imposing transit tolls on other ships requesting safe passage.


As a result, the daily disclosures regarding shipping figures appear designed to demonstrate Iran's geopolitical influence over the critical trade bottleneck, underscoring its operational dominance amidst lingering military and diplomatic friction.

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