WANA (Sep 06) – Iran has tightened restrictions on maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz by placing 56 tankers linked to the United States and its allies on a banned-vessel list and warning that companies and ships cooperating with them could also face sanctions.

 

According to published reports, the Persian Gulf Waterway Management Authority (PGSA) has updated its list of violating vessels, bringing the number of tankers barred from transiting the Strait of Hormuz to 56. The authority has also warned that any vessel or entity cooperating with ships on the list could itself be classified as a violator.

 

The move came after Iran announced that any suspicious activity in the Strait of Hormuz outside arrangements established by Tehran would be met with a response. At the same time, maritime traffic through the waterway has declined sharply in recent days.

 

The tightening of restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz has coincided with significant developments in global energy markets. According to figures cited in the report, the average national price of diesel in the United States has risen to around $5.85 per gallon, while Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports in August fell to their lowest level in nine years.

 

Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports also declined by around 90 percent between March and August 2026. Taken together, these developments have placed significant pressure on global energy markets and have pushed the estimated cost of higher fuel prices for U.S. households to around $100 billion.

 

Through these measures, Iran has effectively expanded the scope of its restrictions from specific tankers to the wider networks of companies and vessels that cooperate with or support them. The approach could have broader implications for maritime shipping, energy trade and fuel prices in global markets.