Iran is set to announce an “exclusion zone” around the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days and weeks, new Supreme National Security Council head Mohsen Rezaei said on Sunday. The move aims at restricting vessels Tehran believes are attempting to transit the strategic waterway.Rezaei said the proposed zone would begin at the line of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, extend towards the Strait of Hormuz and continue into the Persian Gulf. Ships entering the area with the intention of passing through the strait and identified by Iran would be placed on its sanctions list.“The new zone should be announced in the coming days and weeks and “will begin from the line of the US naval blockade, extend toward the Strait of Hormuz, and from this side continue into the Persian Gulf,” Rezaei said, “Any ship that enters this area with the intention of passing through the Strait of Hormuz and is identified will be placed on our sanctions list.”The announcement came a day after the United States struck three Iranian oil tankers, following Iran’s launch of ballistic missiles towards US warships. Experts described the missile attacks as a dangerous escalation, particularly as Tehran’s earlier attacks at sea had focused on commercial shipping.The precise location of the proposed exclusion zone remains unclear. Iran has also not specified how it would enforce the measure, which could further complicate shipping through a waterway that carries a significant share of global oil and natural gas supplies.The US military has said more than 20 warships are supporting its blockade of Iranian ports. As of Sunday, the US had redirected 92 commercial vessels and disabled three as part of efforts to prevent Iran from exporting oil.Iran on Sunday also claimed that it had struck an unmanned US vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz. The US military rejected the claim, calling it a “total lie”.
Fighting resumes after weeks of relative calm
The latest escalation follows the resumption of US and Iranian attacks a week ago, after roughly a month of relative calm. The Strait of Hormuz and areas along Iran’s southern coastline have again emerged as major flashpoints in the conflict, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes.At least five people were killed earlier this week in a US bombardment that also renewed attention on the area where a school was hit during the opening strikes of the war.The Trump administration has increasingly pursued a two-pronged strategy, combining military action against Iranian attacks around the strait with pressure on foreign financial institutions accused of handling Iranian funds.Iran’s new hard-line leadership, meanwhile, has indicated that Tehran is prepared to withstand further pressure. The country has spent decades developing ways to evade sanctions and has continued finding routes to sell its oil despite the US blockade of its ports.
Iran seeks guarantees before renewed diplomacy
Rezaei also expressed scepticism about efforts to revive negotiations with Washington, including the role of countries that have acted as mediators.The memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran in mid-June began to unravel within days, with both sides accusing the other of violating its terms.“We had trusted our friends in Pakistan, Qatar or Oman, thinking that since they had stepped in as mediators, one of a mediator’s responsibilities is that if one side violates the agreement, they should stop them,” Rezaei said. “We are now pursuing diplomacy with guarantees.”The comments suggest that Tehran is seeking stronger assurances before considering another diplomatic process with Washington, as fighting and economic pressure continue.
Strait remains crucial to global energy supplies
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy corridors, with the conflict disrupting the movement of oil and gas tankers through the waterway.US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that around 9 million barrels of oil a day were still passing through the strait, a figure he said could help ease pressure on global energy prices. Wright told CNN that, with oil also moving through regional pipelines, flows were “probably two-thirds or more of preconflict flows.”Those shipments, however, depend heavily on the presence of US naval forces escorting tankers and providing protection against possible Iranian attacks. Wright said he expected other countries to eventually support the US Navy’s efforts.Rezaei, meanwhile, sought to portray Iran’s oil trade as largely unaffected by the blockade.“Every day we are selling one million, one and a half million (barrels), as if Iran’s oil production and trade are continuing as usual.”
