Tehran says ships entering the proposed zone could face sanctions as it seeks to counter a US naval blockade and tighten control over the strategic waterway
Iran is planning a maritime “exclusion zone” near the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating tensions with the US and threatening global shipping and energy supplies.
Mohsen Rezaei, the newly appointed secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as cited by Iranian state television, said the restricted area would be formally announced in the coming days or weeks.
According to Rezaei, the zone would begin near the line of the US Navy’s existing blockade and extend through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf.
He warned that ships entering the designated area with the intention of crossing the Strait of Hormuz could be identified and placed on an Iranian sanctions list.
Tehran’s move appears aimed at creating a countermeasure to the US naval blockade and increasing pressure on vessels using one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
Tensions rise after US strikes
The announcement comes amid a sharp escalation between Washington and Tehran.
A day earlier, the US military struck three Iranian oil tankers following Iran’s launch of ballistic missiles towards US warships in the region.
The latest confrontation is a major escalation, with Iranian forces now directly targeting US naval assets.
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The US Navy currently has more than 20 warships involved in enforcing a blockade around Iranian ports, aimed at restricting the country’s oil exports. US military figures say the blockade has redirected 92 commercial vessels and disabled three.
Diplomacy under strain
The proposed exclusion zone comes after a tentative agreement between Iran and the US failed to hold.
A memorandum of understanding signed in June, with Pakistan, Qatar and Oman helping mediate, was intended to establish navigation corridors and ease tensions in the region. However, the arrangement collapsed within weeks, with both sides accusing the other of failing to comply.
Rezaei has expressed doubts about a return to negotiations, saying Iran is now seeking diplomacy backed by guarantees while moving to strengthen its control over regional trade routes.
He also claimed that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen dramatically. From a historical average of more than 100 vessels a day, daily traffic has reportedly dropped to just seven or eight ships, most carrying essential goods.
Global shipping faces new risks
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, making any disruption there a major concern for governments, shipping companies and energy markets.
US officials have maintained that oil continues to flow through the region. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that nearly nine million barrels of oil a day were still moving through the area, although he acknowledged that much of the traffic depended on US Navy escorts and anti-ship defence systems.
The exact boundaries and coordinates of Iran’s proposed exclusion zone have yet to be announced.
Until then, shipping companies and maritime insurers are likely to face growing uncertainty over navigation through the waterway. A formal exclusion zone could increase war-risk insurance premiums, disrupt commercial routes and add further pressure to global energy markets.