Iran Claims Control of Hormuz and New Gulf Restricted Zone Iran asserts continued control over the Strait of Hormuz and announces a new restricted area in the Persian Gulf requiring Tehran's permission for ship passage, challenging U.S. claims of securing the waterway. Senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei claimed on Sunday that Iran still controls the Strait of Hormuz, and will soon announce a new restricted area in the Persian Gulf that ships will only be allowed to pass through with permission from Tehran. This contradicts a U.S. Navy report from August that most of Iran's sea mines had been removed, and that millions of barrels of oil were now moving through the strait under U.S. protection. Iran has been trying to reassert control over the waterway, disputing the growing narrative that American forces now control it.Rezaei warned that any ship entering the new restricted zone would be placed on the sanctions list and stated that the strait would remain open only if the U.S. stopped attacks on Iran. He also mentioned an agreement with Oman to control the strait and extract fees, though Oman appears less enthusiastic. Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh, have issued strong statements asserting Iran's strength despite U.S. pressure.The recent attack on American warships has made shipping companies nervous, reducing transits to about ten per day. Analysts, such as Stephen Zunes, doubt Iran's ability to enforce a new restricted zone effectively, suggesting the threat may be a ploy to provoke the U.S. into launching more strikes or to gain leverage in negotiations