The European Union has imposed sanctions on two Iranian officials and a unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over their alleged involvement in actions that disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

The measures, announced on Monday, represent the first application of the EU’s newly created framework designed to safeguard freedom of navigation and respond to threats against international shipping routes.

Under the sanctions, the EU targeted the Hormozgan Provincial Command of the IRGC Navy, as well as Mohammad Akbarzadeh, identified as the IRGC Navy’s Deputy Commander for Political Affairs, and Hamid Hosseini, a representative of Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union.

European officials said the move was prompted by Iran’s decision to close the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of hostilities linked to U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran earlier this year.

Speaking in Cyprus, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the disruption of maritime transit through the strategic waterway as unacceptable and confirmed that member states had agreed to punitive measures against those deemed responsible.

She noted that the sanctions mark the first use of the bloc’s freedom-of-navigation mechanism and suggested that additional measures could follow if similar incidents occur in the future.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, serving as a passage for approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies. Any disruption to traffic through the waterway has significant implications for international energy markets and global trade.

The latest sanctions add to growing tensions between Iran and Western powers amid ongoing regional instability and concerns over the security of vital maritime routes.