Amid rising tensions in West Asia, a report has revealed that a private oil tanker company paid around $2 million to Iran to secure safe passage through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
According to maritime intelligence outlet Lloyd’s List, Iranian authorities have established a controlled shipping corridor within their waters, allowing vessels to transit the strait only after receiving official clearance. The system, overseen by officials linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), requires ships to undergo vetting before being granted access.
The development comes as military activity in the region makes navigation through the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most important oil transit routes—particularly risky. Countries including India, Pakistan, Iraq, Malaysia, and China are reportedly coordinating directly with Tehran to ensure the safe passage of their vessels.
At least nine ships have already used the Iranian-controlled corridor. India, facing significant disruption, is in talks with Iranian authorities to evacuate 22 stranded vessels, while some ships have been ordered to remain in place due to security concerns. Two Indian naval vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, successfully navigated the area and returned safely. Tracking data indicated that some vessels took unusual routes around Iran’s Larak Island to allow IRGC officials to verify their identity.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supply, and the emergence of a paid “safe passage” system under Iranian control raises concerns about the militarisation and politicisation of international shipping routes.
Recently, Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, ordered the continued closure of the strait as a strategic tool against Western powers. Speaking via state broadcaster Press TV, Mojtaba demanded that regional countries close U.S. military bases on their soil, warning that any facility used against Iran would be a legitimate target for the IRGC.
