Iran Announces Plans to Establish New Restricted Zone Near Strait of Hormuz
Amid rising tensions in the region, Tehran has announced the creation of a new restricted zone near the critical waterway, warning that entering vessels will be placed on a sanctions list.
Amid escalating tensions with the United States, Iran announced that it will establish a new restricted zone near the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days and that any ships entering this area will be added to a sanctions list.
Restricted Zone and Sanctions Decision
In an interview with state television, Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated that the exclusion zone will extend from the point where the US blockade begins to other areas of the Gulf.
It was stated that any identified vessel entering this area with the intention of passing through the Strait of Hormuz will be included in the sanctions list.
New Shipping Corridor and Maps
It was reported that maps for a new international shipping corridor located in Iranian and Omani waters have been agreed upon and that these documents will be signed in the coming days.
It was noted that Iran will have a say in the management of this corridor, through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil passes during peacetime.
Regional Tensions and Oil Tankers
It was reported that US forces attacked three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, including one off Kharg Island—Iran's main oil export hub—in retaliation for attacks on warships in the region.
The Tehran administration emphasized that they will not make any commitment regarding the Strait of Hormuz remaining open until the Americans halt their sabotage, threats, and attacks against Iran.