Iran Plans Restricted Maritime Zone Outside Strait of Hormuz
Iran is set to announce a restricted zone outside the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, according to Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. He indicated that any vessel attempting to navigate through this zone without prior coordination with Tehran would be placed on Iran's sanctions list. The designated area will extend from the point where the U.S. naval blockade begins to the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf.
Rezaei emphasized that vessels entering this zone without prior approval would face sanctions that could affect their insurance coverage and future access to the waterway. This initiative is part of a strategic shift in Iran's approach to warfare and diplomacy, aimed at intensifying pressure on the United States.
He dismissed U.S. claims that ships and oil tankers were still traversing the Strait of Hormuz, labeling such assertions as false. Rezaei noted that some vessels had attempted to cross the strait near Oman, with some turning off their navigation systems to evade detection. While he mentioned that many of these vessels were being targeted, he clarified that Iran currently has no intention of sinking them due to environmental concerns.
In a recent development, Iran test-fired a domestically developed anti-destroyer missile over a U.S. aircraft carrier, which Rezaei described as a warning that the U.S. naval blockade is vulnerable. He asserted that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States takes concrete steps to fulfill its obligations under a peace memorandum signed by Tehran and Washington in June.
Additionally, Rezaei announced that Iran and Oman would soon unveil a new international corridor for maritime passage through the strait, which will be managed by Iran. This announcement follows U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran, which have led Tehran to restrict passage through the Strait of Hormuz while U.S. forces have imposed a naval blockade targeting vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports.
