Iran Plans Exclusion Zone Near Strait of Hormuz

Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said Sunday that the proposed exclusion zone would extend from the area of the U.S. naval blockade toward the Strait of Hormuz and into parts of the Persian Gulf. Iranian authorities said vessels entering the designated area while attempting to use the strait could be placed on an Iranian sanctions list. Al Jazeera reported that Iranian officials also said maps governing maritime routes through the strait had been agreed with Oman and were expected to be signed in the coming days.

The announcement came a day after the United States said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iran launched ballistic missiles toward U.S. Navy vessels. Iran also claimed Sunday that it hit an unmanned U.S. vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz, but the U.S. military denied the claim. The confrontation follows the resumption of fighting after about a month of relative calm, with Washington maintaining a naval blockade aimed at restricting Iran's oil exports. The U.S. military says more than 20 warships are supporting the operation and that dozens of commercial vessels have been redirected.