Iran plans restricted zone near Strait of Hormuz
What's the story
Iran plans to declare a restricted maritime zone near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. The proposed area would extend from the United States' naval blockade line into parts of the Persian Gulf. "This area starts from the US naval blockade line to include areas of the Persian Gulf," Rezaei said.
Sanctions warning
Ships entering new zone will be placed on sanctions list
Rezaei warned that ships entering this new zone without coordination with Tehran would be subject to Iranian sanctions.
These sanctions could impact their insurance coverage and ability to access the waterway in the future.
"Any ship entering this new area will be placed on the sanctions list," he said, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
Traffic dispute
Claims of commercial vessels passing through strait are a lie
Rezaei also disputed US claims that commercial ships and oil tankers were still passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
He called such assertions a "lie," alleging some vessels were switching off navigation systems to avoid detection while passing near Oman.
However, he clarified that Iran wasn't looking to sink these vessels due to environmental concerns in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
Access conditions
Strait of Hormuz will remain restricted until US takes action
Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would remain restricted unless Washington takes practical steps under a peace memorandum signed between Iran and the US in June.
He also said Iran and Oman were preparing to establish a new international corridor through the strait.
The corridor's entry and exit points would be determined through an agreement between the two countries and remain under Iranian management.
Weapon test
Iran identifies US military targets but refrains from striking them
Rezaei also claimed that Iranian forces had identified several US military targets but had refrained from striking them.
He said, "Iran had identified some American targets but did not intentionally strike them, such as their Titan base in Jordan and some of their bases in Erbil."
Separately, he claimed that Iran tested a homegrown anti-ship missile near a US aircraft carrier.
Traffic decline
Commercial traffic through Strait of Hormuz falls sharply
Meanwhile, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply. Shipping data shows it recorded its lowest average daily traffic since May.
According to Reuters, citing Kpler data, an average of 10 commodity-carrying vessels passed through the strait each day over the past 10 days.
The decline in shipping activity comes amid heightened maritime tensions and reported attacks involving vessels operating in and around the strategic waterway.