Iran now defines Strait of Hormuz as far larger zone, IRGC officer says

📌 Summary:

• A senior officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, announced (via state agency Fars, May 12, 2026) that Iran has EXPANDED its definition of the Strait of Hormuz into a "vast operational area" much wider than the pre-war definition
• New definition: the strait is no longer the narrow stretch around Hormuz and Hengam islands but a strategic zone extending from Jask in the east to Siri Island in the west — a "complete crescent"
• Reported width: previously 20–30 miles; NOW expanded to 200–300 miles
• This is the SECOND expansion announced by Iran since the start of its conflict with the U.S. and Israel; on May 11, 2026, IRGC Navy published a map extending its zone of control along the UAE's Gulf of Oman coast (Mount Mobarak/Fujairah to Qeshm Island/Umm al Quwain)
• Strategic significance: ~20% of world oil and LNG supply normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz; main export route for Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar
• Iranian authorities did not respond to Reuters request for comment

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — India's West Asia policy, Look West / India's energy security; GS3 — Maritime security, sea lines of communication (SLOCs), oil supply chains and impact on Indian economy.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Strait of Hormuz: between Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman; chokepoint for ~20% of global oil and LNG
• Bordering countries: Iran (north) and Oman (Musandam peninsula) and UAE (south)
• IRGC = Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; IRGC Navy controls Persian Gulf operations
• New zone definition spans Jask (east) to Siri Island (west); previously centred on Hormuz and Hengam islands
• Major oil exporters using strait: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar

🔑 Key Term: Choke Point — a strategically vital narrow waterway whose closure/blockage can disrupt global trade; Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca, Suez Canal, Panama Canal are the major maritime chokepoints.