KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran’s secretary of the Supreme National Security Council says Washington has received a “clear warning” from Iran’s new missiles in recent days, while Tehran has carried out a “major review” of its operational stance toward US ships and military bases.
Iran’s state broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), reported on Monday that Mohsen Rezaei said, “In recent days, Washington has received a clear warning from Iran’s new missiles.”
He added that Iran would respond to the economic war by establishing a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf extending to the blockade area.
“There has been a major review of the operational stance toward US ships and military bases,” Rezaei said.
According to reports, Rezaei told Iranian state television on Sunday that Tehran would announce in the coming days a new restricted zone in the Persian Gulf and a new route for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the zone would begin where what he called the “US blockade against Iran” starts and would extend into parts of the Gulf. Any ship entering the zone would be placed on Iran’s sanctions list, he said.
Rezaei also said a plan for a new international corridor through Iranian and Omani waters had been agreed upon and would be signed in the coming days.
According to him, Iran would commit to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open if the United States stops what he described as “sabotage, threats and attacks against Iran.”
The Associated Press reported that the White House, responding to Rezaei’s plan to establish an “exclusion zone” near the Strait of Hormuz, said the waterway remains open and under US control.
The White House said the US Navy had cleared mines from the strait and that tanker traffic to non-Iranian ports would increase.
It also said the US blockade of Iranian ports was continuing, describing the measure as an effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran by restricting Iran’s oil exports.
sa
