Iran’s IRGC Navy claims 35 vessels transited through Strait of Hormuz with its “permission”

May 22, 2026

Tehran: As many as 35 vessels, including cargo carriers and oil tankers, successfully navigated through the strategic maritime chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz over the last 24 hours, according to Iran’s state media reports citing a formal declaration by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.

In an official communique detailing the maritime traffic, the elite naval wing of the Iranian armed forces stated that “35 ships, including oil tankers and container vessels, have transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours.”

The IRGC Navy further clarified the operational protocols governing the heavily monitored international shipping lane.

Elaborating on the procedural compliance maintained by the passing fleet, the maritime force noted that “these movements took place with the permission of and coordination with the IRGC Navy.”

This significant uptick in daily vessel transits directly follows the traffic recorded yesterday, when a total of 31 commercial vessels traversed the vital maritime corridor, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing an earlier official announcement by the IRGC Navy.

According to the official communique released by the force regarding yesterday’s traffic, the fleet navigating the strategic trade route comprised a diverse mix of merchant traffic, including bulk cargo carriers, oil tankers, and container ships.

This latest movement follows a similar pattern of transit documented on the previous day, when the IRGC noted that 31 ships crossed the waterway in a 24-hour period, reflecting a sustained volume of global trade passing through the critical energy lane under the active monitoring of regional forces.

This public tracking of vessel transit by Tehran comes amid sharpening geopolitical pushback from Washington.

Asserting America’s firm stance on global maritime security, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from a NATO gathering in Helsingborg, Sweden, redoubled diplomatic pressure on Iran.

Rubio identified Tehran’s aggressive manoeuvres in vital trade corridors as a non-negotiable hurdle in ongoing discussions, stating that ensuring unhindered freedom of navigation remains a primary objective.