In a response to eight weeks of unrelenting US‑Israeli military pressure, Iran has unveiled a far‑reaching legislative initiative that aims to permanently redraw the maritime rules of the Gulf. Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Nikzad announced on Saturday that Tehran has finalised a new draft law that will, for the first time in modern history, place the strategic Strait of Hormuz under direct Iranian regulatory control, barring any vessels belonging to the “Zionist regime” for all time. The announcement, made during a visit by the parliamentary construction committee to the port city of Bandar Abbas, represents a major strategic escalation: not only does it formalise the blockade that Iran has effectively enforced since the war began, but it also asserts a permanent legal framework that would render the strait’s pre‑war status a distant memory. Nikzad was unequivocal, declaring that “the position of the Strait of Hormuz would never return to what it once was, adding that Iran would not retreat ‘even by an inch’”.
At the core of the proposed 12‑point plan is a categorical and permanent ban on any ship flying the flag of the “Zionist regime” from entering the narrow Gulf chokepoint under any circumstances, a prohibition that would remain in effect “at any time”. Nikzad, who has emerged as a leading voice in the parliamentary push for strategic self‑reliance, told reporters that the Israeli navy would “never be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz”. The ban is presented as a legitimate security measure, rooted in the direct military alliance between Tel Aviv and Washington that initiated the war with a series of devastating airstrikes on 28 February. Iran’s leadership has made no secret of its view: the Israeli regime, which has actively participated in bombing Iranian infrastructure and assassinating senior commanders, cannot be permitted to enjoy freedom of navigation in waters that lie directly adjacent to the Islamic Republic’s coastline.
The proposed legislation also introduces a novel “user pays” system for what the draft terms “hostile countries”, a designation widely interpreted to encompass the United States and its regional allies. Under the plan, vessels flagged to such nations will not be permitted to transit the strait unless they first pay compensation for the war‑related damage inflicted on Iran. While Nikzad did not enumerate which countries fall into this category, Iranian officials have consistently used the term to describe Washington and its Gulf partners, who have hosted US military assets used to strike Iranian targets. All other vessels, including those from neutral or friendly states would be required to obtain prior authorisation from Iranian authorities, pay a fee, and correctly use the name “Persian Gulf” in their communications, a symbolic but politically charged requirement that rebukes the longstanding efforts of certain Arab states to rename the waterway. Revenues from the fee system are intended to be split: 30 per cent would go toward expanding military infrastructure, with the balance allocated to economic development and public welfare.
The significance of the draft law cannot be overstated. The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical maritime artery, through which approximately 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally pass. Iran’s creation of a regulatory framework, complete with fees, permits, and a permanent ban on Israeli shipping would represent a historic shift in the legal architecture of the Gulf. Nikzad compared Iran’s proposed management of the strait to the nationalisation of the oil industry in 1951, a landmark act of economic decolonisation. “We will not give up our rights in the Strait of Hormuz, and vessel traffic will not be the same as before the war,” he declared. The announcement comes as a fragile ceasefire holds but no permanent agreement has been reached, and as Washington continues to enforce its own naval blockade of Iranian ports.