<h3>Overview</h3>
<p>On <strong>16 May 2026</strong>, <strong>Ebrahim Azizi</strong>, head of Iran’s <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Security Committee — a parliamentary committee in Iran responsible for security and strategic matters, including maritime safety (GS2: Polity)">National Security Committee</span>, announced that Iran has a "professional mechanism" to manage traffic in the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran that connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea; it carries about one‑fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments (GS3: Economy)">Strait of Hormuz</span>. This follows the creation of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Persian Gulf Strait Authority — a newly created Iranian body tasked with overseeing vessel movement and toll collection in the Strait of Hormuz (GS2: Polity)">Persian Gulf Strait Authority</span>. Together, these steps formalise a <span class="key-term" data-definition="toll system — a fee structure imposed on ships for using a waterway, used by states to generate revenue and regulate traffic (GS3: Economy)">toll system</span> for vessels transiting the strategic waterway.</p>
<h3>Key Developments</h3>
<ul>
<li>Iran establishes the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Persian Gulf Strait Authority — a newly created Iranian body tasked with overseeing vessel movement and toll collection in the Strait of Hormuz (GS2: Polity)">Persian Gulf Strait Authority</span> to coordinate ship movements.</li>
<li>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Security Committee — a parliamentary committee in Iran responsible for security and strategic matters, including maritime safety (GS2: Polity)">National Security Committee</span> announces a dedicated mechanism for traffic management.</li>
<li>A formal <span class="key-term" data-definition="toll system — a fee structure imposed on ships for using a waterway, used by states to generate revenue and regulate traffic (GS3: Economy)">toll system</span> is introduced for all transiting vessels.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Important Facts</h3>
<p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="U.S. Energy Information Administration (USEIA) — the American agency that compiles data on global energy production and consumption, often cited in policy analysis (GS3: Economy)">U.S. Energy Information Administration (USEIA)</span> estimates that the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran that connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea; it carries about one‑fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments (GS3: Economy)">Strait of Hormuz</span> carries roughly **20 % of global oil and LNG supplies**. By imposing a toll, Iran aims to monetize this traffic and gain greater control over a critical <span class="key-term" data-definition="chokepoint — a narrow geographic passage whose control can affect large volumes of trade; strategic for security and