Iran to set new restricted zone outside Strait of Hormuz

Iran's top security official says the country will declare a new restricted zone outside the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel entering the area without coordinating with Tehran will be placed on an Iranian sanctions list. In an interview broadcast on Sunday by Iran's state-run Press TV, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, announced the establishment of the zone in the coming days, extending from the US Navy's blockade line into parts of the Persian Gulf. Rezaei warned that any ship entering the zone will "face sanctions with consequences for insurance and future passage." The United States has escalated economic pressure on Iran. On Saturday, the US Central Command reported hitting three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for attacks on US vessels. Rezaei's announcement appeared to be a warning against the US, which has touted its blockade achievements.