Iran plans to establish a new “exclusion zone” near the Strait of Hormuz that could target commercial vessels attempting to pass through the strategically vital waterway, a senior Iranian official said Sunday.
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Mohsen Rezaei, the newly appointed head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran would announce details of the zone in the coming days and weeks. The move comes as fighting between Iran and the United States intensifies and both sides seek greater control over maritime traffic in the region.
The proposed zone would stretch from the boundary of the U.S. naval blockade toward the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf, Rezaei told Iranian state television.
“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,” Rezaei said.
It was not immediately clear how Iran would enforce the exclusion zone or what actions it would take against vessels it identifies.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Roughly 9 million barrels of oil and petroleum products are currently moving through the strait each day, according to the Associated Press.
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Iran’s announcement follows a sharp escalation between Tehran and Washington.
U.S. forces struck three Iranian crude oil tankers Saturday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles toward two U.S. Navy warships operating in regional waters, according to U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM said a U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded the Iranian attacks and no American personnel were injured.
American forces subsequently disabled the Iranian tankers M/T Downy near Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask. A third vessel, the M/T Kylo, also known as the Noxen, was destroyed in the Gulf of Oman after its crew was directed to abandon ship.
The United States has also been enforcing a naval blockade intended to restrict Iranian oil exports. CENTCOM says U.S. forces have redirected more than 90 commercial vessels suspected of violating the blockade.
Iran’s proposed exclusion zone could create another flashpoint around the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran challenges U.S. efforts to control shipping connected to Iran.
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