On the official X account, the Iranian Supreme National Security Council said that the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) will provide "real-time updates on operations in the Strait of Hormuz and the latest developments".
Accounts of the navy of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard also shared similar content.
The specific role of this new agency is not yet clear. However, in early May, Iran's English-language television channel Press TV said that PGSA is a "sovereignty enforcement system with the Strait of Hormuz", and said that ships passing through the strait had received "regulations" sent from the email address info@pgsa. ir.
Iran has blocked sea transport through Hormuz since the conflict broke out at the end of February. Iran has also repeatedly declared that maritime traffic through this strait will not return to pre-conflict status. Last month, Tehran announced that it had earned the first revenue from traffic fees through this waterway route.
Last weekend, Mr. Ebrahim Azizi - Chairman of the National Security Committee of the Iranian Parliament - said that the country has "prepared a professional mechanism to manage traffic" across the strait and will "announce it soon".
Also on May 18, Iran responded to the new US proposal to end the conflict, while affirming that diplomatic exchanges are still taking place.
Washington and Tehran have continuously exchanged proposals to find ways to end the conflict, but so far only one round of negotiations has been conducted despite the ceasefire order.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei informed that the exchanges are continuing through an intermediary of Pakistan.
Mr. Baqaei defended Iran's demands, including the release of its assets that are being frozen abroad and the lifting of long-standing sanctions.
On May 17, according to Iran's Fars news agency, Washington released a list of 5 points, including a request for Iran to only maintain one operating nuclear facility and transfer high-enriched uranium stockpiles to the US.
Fars said that the US refuses to release "even 25%" of Iran's frozen assets or compensate for conflict damages. The US emphasized that hostilities should only cease when Iran participates in official peace talks.
