Iran Announces Plan for New Restricted Zone Around Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei told state media that a new restricted zone will be announced in the coming days, covering the area from the U.S. Navy's blockade line through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf. He said any vessel entering the zone would be placed on Iran's sanctions list and that new maps, prepared with Oman, would delineate an "international corridor" under Iranian and Omani management.

The proposal follows the collapse of a 60-day memorandum of understanding signed in June, which had temporarily reduced attacks on shipping. Since the agreement expired, Iran and the United States have resumed targeting each other's vessels, and Tehran has repeatedly warned ships against using unauthorised routes.

The United States has not responded directly to the announcement. A U.S. Central Command spokesperson called a recent Iranian claim of an attempted attack on a U.S. vessel a "total lie." U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said current oil transits through the strait average about nine million barrels per day, roughly two-thirds of pre-conflict levels, while maritime tracking data shows daily vessel movements remain far below historic figures.

Experts expressed skepticism about Iran's ability to enforce the broader zone. Stephen Zunes, founding chair of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, said Iranian ships and aircraft would be vulnerable to U.S. attacks and that the move may serve more as a political warning than a practical restriction. He added that the zone could be linked to ongoing negotiations with Oman on approved shipping routes, which might influence Tehran's enforcement decisions.