Iran has threatened to restrict shipping across the Persian Gulf and warned the United States of “economic warfare” as renewed military strikes push the six-month-old conflict into another period of heightened tension.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tuesday that Tehran was preparing to establish a restricted maritime zone stretching from the area of the US blockade into parts of the Persian Gulf.
He said vessels entering the zone would be placed on an Iranian sanctions list, raising fresh concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s key routes for oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
“In recent days, Washington has received a clear warning from Iran’s new missiles. Economic warfare will be met by a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf to the blockade perimeter. The operational posture toward US warships and bases has been fundamentally recalibrated,” he said on X.
Rezaei’s warning came after Iranian officials claimed the country had used its Qassem Basir missile against several US warships near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported that the advanced ballistic missile had been used against US vessels in the area. The US military, however, said its warships had evaded the attacks.
Iran has also said it will announce the new restricted zone and release maps showing a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, although it has not given a timeline for the measures.
The latest developments come after repeated pauses in the conflict were followed by renewed fighting, with tensions now spreading beyond direct confrontation between Iran and the United States.
Iran-backed Houthi fighters have attacked several cities in Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people, according to a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
The attacks have added to fears that the conflict could widen into a larger regional war, while diplomatic efforts to end the fighting remain stalled.
Iran has continued disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy supplies. Before the war, about one-fifth of global oil and LNG shipments passed through the strait.
The United States launched “Operation Epic Fury” in February, with goals that included ending Iran’s nuclear programme, limiting its ability to attack neighbouring countries and creating conditions for its leadership to be toppled.
Those goals have not been achieved, with Iran’s clerical leadership remaining in power.
US President Donald Trump has meanwhile predicted that energy prices will fall sharply once the conflict ends.
“Oil prices will drop precipitously, like everything else is dropping (but more!), when we WIN the war with Iran. Three Dollars a gallon, but ultimately, below Two Dollars a gallon. It will all happen quickly, and Iran will never have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump said.
Iran is seeking sanctions relief as it looks to emerge from the conflict in a stronger position. Tehran also hopes to eventually collect fees from ships using the Strait of Hormuz, adding an economic dimension to its threat to control movement through the strategic waterway.