Mohsen Rezaei said Iran will announce in coming days or weeks an exclusion zone stretching from the U.S. naval blockade toward the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf.
The move follows a day of sharp escalation: the U.S. struck three Iranian oil tankers after Tehran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. warships, while Iran has kept attacking some vessels near the strait.
More than 20 U.S. warships are enforcing the blockade, which the military says has redirected 92 commercial ships and disabled three, though Iran has not clearly defined where it places the blockade line.
Chris Wright said about 9 million barrels of oil a day are still moving through Hormuz—roughly two-thirds of prewar flows—with tanker traffic relying on U.S. naval escorts for protection.
The threatened zone underscores how Tehran is using the strait as leverage after mid-June diplomacy collapsed and fighting resumed last week following a month of relative calm.
With Iran's new exclusion zone threatening global oil flows, can US naval escorts truly secure the Strait of Hormuz against escalating strikes?
As the blockade tightens, will Iran's unprecedented threat to sanction commercial vessels permanently alter the future of global maritime trade?
What were the secret terms of the collapsed June ceasefire, and how will Iran's demand for diplomatic guarantees reshape future negotiations?
Strait of Hormuz Blockade 2026: U.S.-Iran Showdown Cuts Oil Transit by 85% and Triggers Global Energy Shock
Overview
The September 2026 U.S.-Iran crisis began when Israel, with U.S. support, killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, sparking a devastating air war and drawing in regional actors. As the conflict escalated, Iran restricted the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. imposed a naval blockade to cut off Iranian oil revenues. Attempts at peace through a ceasefire and negotiations quickly unraveled due to distrust and conflicting interpretations, leading to renewed military strikes and retaliations. The prolonged closure of the strait severely disrupted global energy flows, forcing countries to rethink energy security and invest in alternative routes, while emergency oil releases helped prevent total economic collapse.