Iran demands sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz — escalates from closure control to formal territorial claim

Iran formally called for sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz on March 25, according to Press TV citing Iranian officials. The demand represents an escalation beyond the current operational closure: Iran is no longer merely exercising de facto control over the strait (as evidenced by the selective safe-passage granted to the Thai tanker) but is asserting a formal territorial sovereignty claim over the waterway. Under international law, the Strait of Hormuz is an international strait subject to the right of transit passage under UNCLOS — the waters are within the territorial seas of Oman and Iran but international transit rights cannot be suspended. Iran's sovereignty claim directly challenges this framework. The demand is consistent with the statement from an Iranian security official: 'Neither the Strait of Hormuz will return to its pre-war conditions nor will there be peace in the energy markets.' Iran appears to be using the sovereignty demand as a maximalist negotiating position: the 15-point plan's Hormuz safe-passage guarantee would implicitly cede Iran's sovereignty claim. By asserting sovereignty now, Iran establishes a precondition for any deal: the US must address Iran's Hormuz status before the strait fully reopens. The Thai tanker safe-passage demonstrated Iran already exercises selective control; a sovereignty claim formalizes that leverage.