Iran says it intends to declare a restricted maritime zone beyond the Strait of Hormuz
Iran plans to declare a new restricted maritime zone beyond the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, extending into part of the Persian Gulf. Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei said that vessels entering this zone would be added to a sanctions list. This was reported by Anadolu Agency, citing Iranian state television channel Press TV.
Corridor through the strait
According to Rezaei, the new zone will begin from the U.S. Navy blockade line and extend into areas of the Persian Gulf. He also said that Iran and Oman would sign an agreement in the coming days on a new corridor through the Strait of Hormuz. The entry and exit points of this corridor, he said, would be under Iran’s control.
Rezaei claims that the Strait of Hormuz is completely closed and controlled by Iranian armed forces. He called U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that the strategic waterway remains open a “big lie.”
Statements on shipping and a missile
The Iranian official said that before the strait was closed, more than 100 vessels carrying over 100 million tonnes of cargo passed through it every day. Now, according to him, only seven or eight vessels carrying essential goods for Iran are traveling along the waterway.
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Rezaei also said that the United States allegedly is trying to send five or six vessels through the strait, which, he claims, usually come under attack. According to him, Iran decided not to sink these vessels because they carry oil, and sinking them could harm the environment.
In addition, Rezaei said that a new anti-ship missile was tested over a U.S. Navy ship 48 hours before the interview, without specifying which ship it was or where the test took place. Separately, he rejected claims of mass hunger in Iran due to the U.S. economic blockade, stating that there were sufficient supplies of food and essential goods.
Tensions in the region intensified after the United States and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28. In June, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, which outlined steps to end hostilities, open the Strait of Hormuz, and resolve economic restrictions. The sides later accused each other of failing to fulfill their obligations under the memorandum.
