Dubai: Iran has threatened to establish a new maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf as tensions with the United States increase and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains sharply reduced.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran would respond to what it describes as US economic warfare by establishing a maritime exclusion zone extending from the area of the US blockade towards the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf.
Rezaei also said Iran had fundamentally changed its operational posture towards US warships and military bases.
Iran is expected to announce further details of the proposed zone in the coming days. It also plans to publish maps showing a new international shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, with the route involving Iranian and Omani waters.
The exact boundaries of the proposed exclusion zone and the rules that would apply to vessels entering it have not yet been made public.
Iran's announcement follows a new exchange of military attacks between Tehran and Washington.
Iranian state media said Iran had fired its Qassem Basir ballistic missile at US warships near the Strait of Hormuz. The United States said its warships evaded the missile attacks. There has been no independent confirmation that a US warship was hit.
Iran has described the Qassem Basir as an upgraded ballistic missile with greater accuracy and improved resistance to electronic warfare. Iranian media have also reported that the missile has a range of at least 1,200 kilometres and carries a half ton warhead.
The United States has continued military operations around the Strait while maintaining pressure on Iran's oil exports. On September 5, US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers, according to US officials.
The latest developments have placed the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the confrontation.
The Strait is one of the world's most important routes for energy supplies. Before the current conflict, about one fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the waterway.
Shipping activity has fallen sharply during the conflict. Shipping data showed that an average of about 10 commodity vessels a day crossed the Strait during the previous 10 days, the lowest level since May.
The waterway has not been completely closed. However, the sharp reduction in commercial traffic has increased concerns about the security of energy supplies and international trade.
Iran has previously sought to control which routes vessels use through the Strait. Tehran has also been working with Oman on a separate shipping corridor intended to provide a route through the waterway.
The proposed new exclusion zone would add another layer of uncertainty for shipping companies operating in the region.
It remains unclear how Iran would enforce the proposed zone, particularly in waters where US naval forces are operating.
The United States has rejected Iran's attempt to impose its own restrictions on the waterway and has said the Strait remains open. Washington has also said its naval forces have been working to maintain maritime traffic.
The wider conflict is also affecting other countries in the region.
In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi led coalition operating in Yemen said on Tuesday that recent attacks by the Houthi movement had wounded 73 civilians, including women and children.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al Maliki said the attacks targeted civilian and economic sites in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran.
The coalition described the attacks as a dangerous escalation and said it would take necessary operational measures in response.
The Houthis control large parts of Yemen and have been involved in a wider confrontation with Saudi Arabia. The group has also threatened maritime traffic in the region.
The attacks add to concerns that the conflict between Iran and the United States could continue to affect neighbouring countries and important regional trade routes.
The conflict began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28. Since then, the fighting has included attacks on military targets, oil tankers and commercial shipping.
A 60 day memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, signed in June, had helped reduce tensions around the Strait for a period. The agreement later expired, and fighting has since intensified again.
Iran continues to demand relief from US sanctions, while Washington is seeking to restrict Tehran's oil exports and military capabilities.
For international markets, the immediate concern is the continued disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway carries a major share of global energy supplies, making any prolonged disruption important for oil and gas markets. However, alternative export routes and other sources of supply have helped reduce some of the pressure on global crude markets.
Iran's proposed exclusion zone remains at the planning stage. Its precise boundaries, enforcement arrangements and impact on commercial vessels have not yet been established.
For now, the announcement represents another escalation in the confrontation between Iran and the United States. The coming days will show whether Iran moves from threatening the new zone to enforcing restrictions on ships in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz.