Iran set to declare restricted zone near Strait of Hormuz

Photo — Melika Hazrati / Pexels

Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, has said Tehran will in the coming days declare a restricted maritime zone extending from the line of the U.S. naval blockade to the Strait of Hormuz and inside the Persian Gulf, and will subject any ship attempting to cross this zone to Iranian sanctions.[7] This announcement escalates longstanding friction over the choke point through which a significant share of the world’s oil and gas exports pass, and follows recent U.S. and Iranian strikes on tankers that have already led to a sharp drop in commodity vessels transiting the strait to the lowest level since May.[8] The looming restrictions raise major concerns for global energy markets, regional security, and freedom of navigation, as they risk drawing in Gulf states, international navies, and major importers of Middle Eastern crude at a time when diplomatic channels appear strained and commercial operators face increasing uncertainty over safety and insurance costs.[7][8]

Sources: Xinhua, Anewz, BBC, Reuters, Al Jazeera