Tehran Plans Enforcement Zone Beyond Hormuz, Vows Penalties for Non‑Compliant Vessels

In a televised interview, Mohsen Rejaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, warned that Iran will soon designate a restricted maritime area extending beyond the Hormuz Strait. The zone starts at the line where U.S. naval forces have imposed a blockade and reaches the strait’s eastern end and further into the Persian Gulf. Any vessel that sails through without Iranian coordination will be placed on a blacklist, jeopardising its insurance coverage and future access to the waterway. Rejaei portrayed the measure as part of a broader strategic shift aimed at increasing pressure on the United States. He asserted that the Hormuz Strait is entirely closed and dismissed U.S. claims of ongoing ship traffic as false. While some ships try to avoid detection by turning off navigation systems and using routes near Oman, most will face repercussions. Iran does not intend to sink vessels at this stage to avoid environmental damage. Rejaei also noted a recent test of a home‑grown anti‑destroyer missile launched over a U.S. carrier, describing it as a setback for the American blockade. The blockade will remain until the United States takes concrete steps to honor the June peace memorandum signed with Tehran. Iran and Oman plan to announce a new international sea lane under Iranian control that will allow vessels to transit safely.