Iran Announces New Maritime Boundary
Collected Photo
Iran has rejected compliance with the United Nations’ previous maritime boundary framework. Following Tehran’s announcement at the UN on April 27, the country has now moved to implement its own position. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared new regulations for Iranian coastal waters in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the IRGC Navy, Iran will now exercise control over approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) of its coastline in these areas. Authorities said the move was taken under the directive of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
State-run Press TV reported the development on Friday evening. However, it did not provide detailed information on the decision.
The IRGC stated that these waters will become a source of livelihood and strength for the Iranian people, as well as a source of security and prosperity for the region. Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz have already escalated, as Tehran has restricted shipping through this strategic waterway in response to US-Israeli attacks that began on February 28 against Iran.
Pakistan mediated a ceasefire on April 8, followed by talks in Islamabad on April 11–12. However, no agreement was reached. Later, US President Donald Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire without setting a new deadline, following Pakistan’s request. Since April 13, the United States has continued a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime movement in the waterway.
Earlier, on April 27, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Tehran is not legally bound to follow the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. In a statement that day, he strongly defended Iran’s recent strict maritime measures in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iravani said Iran had taken these special measures to maintain a balance between coastal security and safe navigation amid what he described as a highly unstable and wartime situation in the Middle East.
Iran’s firm position is being viewed as a significant turning point in the ongoing regional tensions. On the other side of the Persian Gulf lie Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
Iran’s Borders
Iran has a total land border of 5,894 kilometers, shared with seven neighboring countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. In addition, it has a 2,440-kilometre coastline along the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Caspian Sea. These borders were largely defined through bilateral agreements in the 20th century.
Iran covers an area of 1,648,195 square kilometers. It serves as a key geopolitical bridge between Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Caucasus region. Its land borders feature diverse terrain, ranging from mountainous regions shared with Turkey and Armenia in the northwest to arid deserts along its eastern borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Its maritime boundaries extend into disputed waters of the Persian Gulf, where Iran continues to assert sovereignty over several islands amid ongoing border discussions. This strategic positioning gives Iran control over critical chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, which plays a vital role in global energy trade.
Historical disputes, including the resolution of the Shatt al-Arab conflict with Iraq through the 1975 Algiers Agreement, highlight the role of borders in regional stability.
