DUBAI, Sept. 7 Iran says it plans to announce a new restricted zone in the Gulf within days and is preparing to formalize a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz with neighboring Oman, adding another layer of uncertainty to one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
The announcement comes after a weekend of renewed attacks involving commercial shipping and oil infrastructure, which helped push crude prices higher on Monday. Tehran’s latest plans also underline the continuing strain between Iran and the United States, six months after a conflict triggered by U.S. and Israeli military strikes developed into a prolonged regional confrontation.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the proposed restricted zone would begin near the area affected by the U.S. blockade on Iran and extend into parts of the Gulf. Speaking in an interview with Iranian state television on Sunday, he offered few technical details about the boundaries but warned that vessels entering the area could face serious consequences.
According to Rezaei, ships that enter the newly designated zone would be placed on a sanctions list. The measure has raised fresh questions about how Iran intends to enforce the restrictions and what effect they could have on already limited commercial traffic in the region.
Rezaei also said Iran and Oman had reached an understanding on maps for a new international shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz. The proposed passage would run through Iranian and Omani waters and, according to his comments, would involve Iranian oversight. He said the maps were expected to be formally approved and signed in the coming days.
Iran has linked the future of shipping through the Strait directly to the broader confrontation with Washington. Rezaei said Tehran would commit to keeping the waterway open only if the United States ended what he described as sabotage, threats and attacks against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz has long been one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, carrying a significant share of globally traded oil. Before the latest conflict, roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passed through the narrow waterway. The sharp decline in tanker traffic since the escalation has therefore become a major concern for energy markets and governments far beyond the Middle East.
New Shipping Restrictions Deepen Pressure on Strait of Hormuz
The conflict, which began after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran six months ago, has increasingly settled into a difficult stalemate. A preliminary ceasefire arrangement reached in June later broke down, while diplomatic efforts have so far failed to restore a durable peace process.
Military activity had slowed for much of August, but the relative calm did not last.
Over the weekend, U.S. Central Command said American forces struck three Iranian oil tankers, including a vessel near Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export hub. The military action followed attacks attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against U.S. warships operating in the region.
Iran, meanwhile, has continued to demonstrate that it retains the ability to threaten U.S. interests across neighbouring countries and disrupt energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Shipping data released on Monday showed just how severely maritime traffic has been affected. An average of about 10 commodity ships per day crossed the Strait during the previous 10 days, the lowest level recorded since May. The reduction in traffic helped extend last week’s gains in oil markets, with Brent crude rising about 0.8% to move above $97 a barrel.
The developments have intensified fears of further supply disruptions if fighting expands again or if the new Iranian restrictions complicate navigation for commercial vessels.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, however, said significant quantities of oil were still moving through the waterway. Speaking to CNN, Wright said U.S. transit volumes through the Strait were averaging more than 9 million barrels per day. When alternative pipelines capable of bypassing the Strait were included, he estimated that total flows had recovered to roughly two-thirds or more of their pre-conflict levels.
Wright acknowledged that Iran was still creating difficulties for shipping but argued that the U.S. Navy was maintaining control over the broader situation.
Economic Pressure Adds to Iran’s Domestic Challenges
While military tensions remain high, Iran is also confronting growing economic difficulties at home as U.S. sanctions and restrictions on its oil exports continue to weigh heavily on the country.
Iranian officials have said the government will increase efforts to address the economic damage caused by sanctions. However, the pressure on Tehran has become increasingly difficult to absorb as Washington seeks to restrict Iranian oil exports and crack down on methods used to bypass sanctions.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Sunday that the United States needed to recognize that the situation had changed before it was too late. In remarks published through his Telegram channel, Qalibaf said any future attack against Iran’s interests or security would bring a quicker and more severe response.
At the same time, he emphasized that Iran’s struggle was not limited to the military arena. The country’s economic conditions, including sharp currency movements, persistent inflation, unemployment and problems with market management, had become major concerns for ordinary Iranians, he said.
Qalibaf added that while people could endure difficult circumstances, they would not indefinitely accept poor management or government inaction and expected authorities to respond more quickly to economic problems.
Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh also addressed the growing pressure from Washington, saying Iran intended to pursue domestic reforms rather than change its political direction because of foreign sanctions. According to Iranian state media, he rejected the idea that economic isolation or financial pressure could determine the decisions of the Iranian people.
Iran is the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and relied heavily on Kharg Island before the war, with about 90% of its crude exports passing through the key terminal.
Oil flows from the facility have been disrupted since the U.S. blockade on Iranian oil exports began in mid-April. U.S. Central Command said on X that by Sunday it had redirected 92 commercial vessels, disabled three others and boarded two ships as part of efforts to enforce the blockade.
Kharg Island has become a particularly sensitive symbol in the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video on Aug. 31 depicting the island being destroyed, prompting Iranian officials to promise a strong response if the facility were directly attacked.
Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said in a state television interview on Sunday that Kharg Island had been struck around 550 times in previous months but remained operational.
The pressure on the Strait of Hormuz is also having political consequences in the United States. Higher fuel prices caused by reduced shipping through the waterway have added to public concerns as Trump and the Republican Party approach November elections that will determine control of Congress.
For now, both sides appear to be maintaining pressure while avoiding a decisive breakthrough or settlement. Iran’s proposed restricted zone and new shipping corridor could further reshape movement through the Gulf in the days ahead, while oil markets remain highly sensitive to every new military or political development.