Iran to announce new Gulf restricted zone and Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor

Iran says it will announce a new restricted zone in the Gulf in the coming days, alongside maps showing a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz. The plans follow a weekend exchange of strikes on shipping that sent oil prices higher on Monday.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in an interview with state television that the restricted zone would begin where the U.S. blockade of Iran starts and extend into parts of the Gulf. He gave few details, but said any ship entering the zone would be added to a sanctions list.

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The maps of a new international corridor which lies in Iranian and Omani waters and in which Iran will have management have been agreed and should be signed in the coming days.

Rezaei also said maps for passage routes through the Strait of Hormuz would soon be approved. The vital energy route has been largely closed to tanker traffic. He said the proposed international corridor would run through Iranian and Omani waters and that Iran would manage it.

"The maps of a new international corridor which lies in Iranian and Omani waters and in which Iran will have management have been agreed and should be signed in the coming days," Rezaei said. He added: "We will only commit to the Strait of Hormuz being open".

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We will only commit to the Strait of Hormuz being open