Iran to declare ‘restricted maritime zone’ outside Dhaka Hormuz

Iran will declare a new “restricted maritime zone” outside the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, the country’s top national security official said Sunday, escalating tensions over the strategic waterway.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the zone would begin from the line of the US Navy’s blockade and extend into parts of the Persian Gulf.

He warned that any vessel entering the designated area would be placed on an Iranian sanctions list.

Rezaei also claimed that Iran maintains full control over the Strait of Hormuz and that maritime traffic through the area is being closely monitored.

The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, with the United States maintaining a naval blockade around Iranian ports and both sides carrying out attacks on vessels in and around the Gulf.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes, carrying a significant share of global oil shipments.

Any further restrictions on shipping could intensify concerns over global energy supplies and push oil prices higher.