Iran's decision to allow Malaysian-linked vessels through the Strait of Hormuz suggests the waterway's access is increasingly tied to political relationships. Analysts note that passage is now selective, rather than a neutral commercial right.

Tehran’s decision to let Malaysia-linked vessels through the Strait of Hormuz highlighted Iran’s growing use of access to the strategic waterway as leverage, analysts said, with only a limited number of ships now able to pass and access increasingly determined by political ties rather than treated as a neutral commercial right. For Malaysia, the move drew attention not only to Tehran’s close ties with Putrajaya but also to scrutiny surrounding sanction-sensitive oil trade and ship-to-ship...