Senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei stated on Sunday that Iran continues to control the Strait of Hormuz and will soon announce a new "restricted area" in the Persian Gulf, requiring ships to obtain permission from Tehran for passage. In August, the U.S. military reported that most of Iran's sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz had been removed, with significant oil traffic now moving through the strait under U.S. Navy protection. Estimates indicated that traffic levels had returned to approximately half or two-thirds of prewar levels.
Rezaei's announcement about the new restricted zone appears to be an effort to counter the narrative that American forces have greater control over the waterway than Iran. He stated, "This zone will start from the U.S. Navy’s blockade line and include areas of the Persian Gulf. Any ship entering this new zone will be placed on the sanctions list."
He also mentioned that Iran would only commit to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open if the U.S. ceases its actions against Iran. Rezaei claimed that Iran is working on an agreement with Oman regarding control of the Strait of Hormuz and the collection of fees for safe passage, although Oman has shown less enthusiasm for this proposal. He noted that maps for a new international corridor in Iranian and Omani waters have been agreed upon and should be signed soon.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf supported Rezaei's claims, asserting that international oil shipping remains vulnerable to Iranian threats. He stated, "It’s simple: the oil and gas production chain here is sprawling, accessible, and exposed. American oil and gas companies across these waters and facilities share that exposure."
On Saturday, three Iranian tankers were reportedly disabled or destroyed by U.S. strikes following an Iranian missile attack on American warships, which led to a decrease in ship transits through the strait to about ten per day. Qalibaf warned that the U.S. must recognize that "the rules of the game have changed before it is too late," indicating that any attack on Iran's interests would result in a swift and severe response.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh rejected claims that the Iranian regime is succumbing to U.S. economic pressure, stating that the responsibility for reforming Iran's economy lies with its government and people, not the U.S. Treasury. Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad reported that Iran's primary oil terminal on Kharg Island has been attacked around 550 times since hostilities with the U.S. began but remains operational.
Stephen Zunes, chair of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, commented that while Iran can still threaten ships in the Strait of Hormuz, enforcing an expanded restricted zone in the Persian Gulf would be challenging. He noted, "It’s hard to see how they will really be able to enforce it. Iranian ships and planes trying to enforce that would be very vulnerable to U.S. attack." Zunes speculated that Iran's claims of an expanded zone might be an attempt to provoke the U.S. into further strikes, potentially rallying domestic support for the regime or pressuring Oman into compliance with Tehran's plans.