Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

A top Iranian security official threatened Tuesday to establish a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf in response to what he called US economic warfare.

Getting into it: Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, made the comments in a post on X. “In recent days, Washington has received a clear warning from Iran’s new missiles. Economic warfare will be met by a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf to the blockade perimeter. The operational posture toward U.S. warships and bases has been fundamentally recalibrated,” he wrote.

He said Sunday on state television that the zone would run from the outer edge of the US blockade and push out into the Gulf, and that Iran would sanction any ship that crossed into it. He also said Iran would release maps in the coming days showing the route it wants traffic to follow through the Strait of Hormuz.

The missile Rezaei referenced is the Qassem Basir, a solid-fueled ballistic missile that state media says was launched at American warships operating near the strait. The US military says none of its ships were hit. Tehran describes the weapon as more maneuverable, with a new guidance system it says can counter electronic jamming.

The White House rejected the exclusion zone outright, saying that the strait is open and controlled by the US, that the Navy has cleared it of mines, and that tanker traffic to non-Iranian ports will increase. As of Monday, the military said 94 commercial vessels had been redirected and three disabled. Rezaei acknowledged that the US is escorting a limited number of ships along a route off Oman. He said Iran is not sinking them because of environmental concerns over the oil they carry.

The standoff comes as Gulf countries lose patience with both sides. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said, “No single state” should control the strait and that “our energy exports will not be held hostage, nor will our trade and economic activity.”