Iran plans new maritime transit corridor and exclusion zone near Strait of Hormuz
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Iran to announce new maritime route Photograph: (Credit: AFP)
Iran's Supreme National Security Council announced plans to establish a new exclusion zone and shipping corridor near the Strait of Hormuz, warning that vessels entering the area could face Iranian sanctions.
Iran expects to sign an agreement establishing a controlled shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, alongside plans to declare a new maritime ‘exclusion zone’ in adjacent waters. The announcements come amid heightening regional tensions and ongoing naval disruptions in the vital trade choke point.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated during an interview with Iranian state television that Tehran has been negotiating shipping-route maps with neighbouring Oman. The proposed corridor, which includes designated routes passing through Iranian and Omani territorial waters, aims to establish a framework for commercial vessel transit. However, Rezaei emphasised that entry and exit through the corridor would be managed directly by Tehran and that Iran will not guarantee a full reopening of the waterway unless the US halts strikes against Iranian targets.
Along with the bilateral corridor talks, Iranian officials revealed plans to formally establish a designated restricted zone near the entrance of the strait. According to Rezaei, the boundaries of the proposed exclusion zone will extend from the perimeter of the current US naval blockade inward through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf. Vessels attempting to enter or transit the restricted zone without authorisation from Tehran face placement on an Iranian sanctions list and potential denial of passage.
The diplomatic and maritime announcements follow a series of military engagements in the region. Over the weekend, US forces carried out strikes targeting three Iranian oil tankers after Tehran fired ballistic missiles toward US warships in the Persian Gulf.
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The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most critical transit hubs for energy, historically carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies. Daily traffic through the strait has dropped sharply due to security risks, naval blockades, and ongoing military exchanges. While Washington reports that naval escorts continue to safeguard limited commercial passage, Iranian officials maintain that the waterway remains functionally closed to unauthorised traffic until a broader security agreement is reached.
