Iran plans exclusion zone outside Strait of Hormuz

Iran plans to establish an exclusion zone outside the Strait of Hormuz, with security chief Mohsen Rezai saying details of the restrictions will be announced in the coming days.

“

The zone will start from the line of the US naval blockade and extend to areas in the Persian Gulf.

Rezai said the zone would begin at the line of a US naval blockade in the Persian Gulf and extend farther into the gulf. Any ship entering the new zone would be placed on a sanctions list, according to reports cited by the article.

“The zone will start from the line of the US naval blockade and extend to areas in the Persian Gulf,” Rezai said. He also said the Strait of Hormuz was “completely closed and controlled by armed forces.”

“

Completely closed and controlled by armed forces.

Rezai spoke on Iranian television on Sunday evening. His comments followed a sharp escalation in the conflict between the United States and Iran. US Central Command said American forces had attacked targets belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after alleged Iranian attempts to attack commercial ships. Iran responded with airstrikes against US interests in several parts of the Middle East, including the Kurdistan region, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

“

Smuggle

Although President Donald Trump has insisted that the strait remains open to shipping, vessel data showed traffic still far below its pre-conflict level. Rezai said the United States was trying to “smuggle” five or six ships through the strait at a time and that they were “usually attacked.” He said Iran had avoided sinking them because they carried oil, which would cause environmental damage. Earlier on Sunday, the Revolutionary Guard said it had attacked a US naval drone that allegedly tried to enter a “protected area” of the strait.

“

Usually attacked.