Iran Plans New Gulf Exclusion Zone; US Says Strait Open, Under Navy Control

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, criticized Canada on X for supporting U.S. actions in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, calling Ottawa's moves a display of strategic confusion and submission to intimidation.

Baghaei referred to a Monday post by U.S. President Donald Trump showing U.S. territory covering Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. Canada had condemned Iran’s destabilizing actions and pledged to work with partners to maintain pressure, including sanctions and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz led by the U.S., France, and the U.K. Baghaei questioned Canada's support after trade talks with Washington collapsed last month, triggering tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods.

Iran is also finalizing an agreement with Oman for a temporary, safe route through the Strait of Hormuz, which Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said will likely be registered with the International Maritime Organization. Iran claims control over the strait and has opposed a secondary U.N-backed route off Oman's coast. A senior U.S. official stated Monday that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open and under U.S. Navy control, directly challenging Iran’s threat to impose a new maritime exclusion zone.

The official told Al Jazeera this assessment followed a months-long U.S. Navy operation to clear Iranian mines. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, announced Sunday that Tehran would establish a new prohibited zone extending from the U.S. naval blockade line into the Persian Gulf. Rezaei explicitly linked the proposed exclusion zone to Washington’s economic campaign, stating, "Economic warfare will be met by a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf to the blockade perimeter."

U.S. Central Command reported Monday that American forces have redirected 94 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two since Washington reimposed its naval blockade of Iranian ports in mid-July.