India, May 3 -- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced "new rules" governing waters near its southern coastline, saying it intends to strengthen control over key maritime routes in the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by Iranian state media Press TV.

In a statement released by the IRGC Navy command, the force said it would exert "control over nearly 2,000 km (1,243 miles) of Iran's coastline" stretching across the Arabian Gulf and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

The statement said the measures are aimed at turning the waters into "a source of pride and power for the dear people of Iran, and a source of security and prosperity for the region".

According to Press TV, the statement came a...