Iran Threatens New Gulf Exclusion Zone, Warns US of Missile Capability

Iran has escalated its rhetoric against the United States, with its top security official announcing plans for a new maritime exclusion zone in the Persian Gulf. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Tuesday that Washington has received a clear warning from Iran's new missiles and that economic warfare will be met with a restricted zone extending from the US blockade perimeter into Gulf waters.

The announcement follows Iranian state media reports of the first combat use of the Qassem Basir missile, an upgraded ballistic weapon with improved manoeuvrability and guidance systems designed to counter electronic warfare. The US military maintains that its warships evaded any missile attacks near the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict, now in its sixth month, has seen periodic flare-ups despite attempts at pauses. US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, while Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon killed at least 12 people on Monday, raising fears of renewed military campaigns despite a June ceasefire with Hezbollah.

Shipping data shows traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level since May, with just 10 commodity vessels per day transiting the critical waterway. About one-fifth of global oil and LNG shipments passed through the strait before the war began with US and Israeli strikes on February 28.

President Donald Trump has said oil prices will drop below two dollars a gallon when the US wins the war, but his stated goals of ending Iran's nuclear programme and creating conditions for leadership change remain unachieved. Tehran continues to demand sanctions relief and hopes to collect fees from ships using the strait, despite facing punishing economic sanctions.