Iran says it will announce new Strait of Hormuz 'exclusion zone'
asserted
it → say → zone
Tehran earlier claimed it hit American ship, which the U.S. denied, in latest flare-up
The new head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Sunday said Tehran plans to announce an "exclusion zone" outside the Strait of Hormuz aimed at vessels it believes are attempting to transit the waterway.
Mohsen Rezaei's comments to Iran's state broadcaster came with few details, a day after the U.S. struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to Tehran launching ballistic missiles at U.S. warships.
asserted
Tehran → claim → warships
Experts called the launches a dangerous escalation after Iran's previous attacks at sea targeted commercial shipping.
asserted
attacks → call → shipping
The new zone should be announced in the coming days and weeks and "will begin from the line of the U.S. naval blockade, extend toward the Strait of Hormuz, and from this side continue into the Persian Gulf," Rezaei said.
asserted
Rezaei → announce → Gulf
"Any ship that enters this area with the intention of passing through the Strait of Hormuz and is identified will be placed on our sanctions list.
asserted
that → enter → list
It is not clear where Iran defines the location of the weeks-long U.S. blockade, which is aimed at Iranian ports and keeping Tehran from shipping out its oil.
asserted
which → define → oil
The U.S. military has said more than 20 warships are supporting the blockade, which as of Sunday had redirected 92 commercial ships and disabled three.
asserted
which → say → three
The U.S. has been introducing new measures to increase the economic pain on Iran after negotiations collapsed and no end to the intermittent fighting appears in sight.
Iran claims strike on U.S. ship, which U.S. denies
Meanwhile, Iran continues to attack some ships trying to transit the strait, which has become an important source of leverage for Tehran in the war that began more than six months ago with U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Iran said on Sunday it struck an unmanned U.S. vessel trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, a claim that the U.S. military dismissed as a "total lie."
uncertain
military → introduce → lie
The purported attack came a day after the U.S. military said forces struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to a missile attack on its warships.
asserted
forces → purport → warships
The war began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
asserted
war → begin → Feb.
But since a ceasefire agreement was announced in June, on-and-off fighting has persisted, with both sides trying to inflict military and economic pain as negotiations have collapsed.
asserted
negotiations → announce → pain
Late Sunday afternoon, after a weekend of attacks, counterattacks and threats between the U.S. and Iran, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand released a statement condemning Iran's "destabilizing activities.
asserted
Anand → release → activities
"
"Canada is working closely with partners, including within the G7, to maintain significant pressure on Iran," Anand said.
asserted
Anand → work → Iran
Strikes come about a week after fighting resumed
The U.S. and Iran resumed attacks last week, following a month of relative calm, with the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian communities along it again being targeted.
asserted
U.S. → come → it
At least five people were killed earlier in the week during a U.S. bombardment of southern Iran.
asserted
people → kill → Iran
The Trump administration appears to have adopted a two-pronged approach to the conflict, responding militarily to attacks on the strait while going after foreign financial institutions that handle Iran's money.
But Tehran's new hardline senior leaders have signalled a willingness to dig in after weathering decades of sanctions.
asserted
leaders → appear → sanctions
U.S. military hits 3 Iranian oil tankers after saying its navy warships were targeted
asserted
warships → hit → tankers
Iran attacks U.S. bases across Gulf after reports of deadly strike on wedding
Iran has found ways over the years to circumvent sanctions — and now the U.S. blockade — and get its oil to buyers to help ease growing economic pressures.
asserted
Iran → attack → pressures
That relies in part on a shadow fleet transporting its oil.
asserted
That → rely → oil
Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear program, the issue that contributed to the outbreak of the war, was meant to be addressed in negotiations that fell apart soon after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June.
asserted
U.S. → contribute → June
Diplomats say the U.S., Britain, France and Germany seek to refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council for failure to comply with its nuclear non-proliferation obligations.
asserted
U.S. → say → obligations
Instead, Tehran's new leverage focuses on the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial to global oil and natural gas shipments and was seen as an international waterway before the war began.
asserted
war → focus → waterway
On the matter of the collapsed negotiations with the U.S., Iran's Rezaei on Sunday expressed wariness not only of the U.S. but also of the mediators.
asserted
Rezaei → collapse → mediators
The memorandum of understanding that the U.S. and Iran signed in mid-June began to fall apart within days as each side accused the other of violations.
asserted
side → sign → violations
"We had trusted our friends in Pakistan, Qatar or Oman, thinking that since they had stepped in as mediators, one of a mediator's responsibilities is that if one side violates the agreement, they should stop them," Rezaei said.
asserted
Rezaei → trust → them
"We are now pursuing diplomacy with guarantees."
asserted
We → pursue → guarantees
U.S. says 9 million barrels a day pass through strait
The Strait of Hormuz is crucial to global oil and natural gas shipments and was seen as an international waterway before the war began.
On Sunday, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that on average, nine million barrels of oil a day are getting through the strait, which should help to relieve pressure on energy prices.
asserted
which → say → prices
His estimate appeared to exceed average flows over the past 28 days through the strait, according to TankerTrackers.com and other sources.
uncertain
estimate → appear → TankerTrackers.com
Wright told CNN that with oil also flowing through pipelines in the region, "we're probably two-thirds or more of pre-conflict flows."
But those flows depend on the presence of the U.S. navy to help escort tankers and provide some protection against possible Iranian attack.
asserted
flows → tell → attack
Wright said he expected that other countries would eventually support the navy's efforts.
asserted
countries → say → efforts
Meanwhile, in his interview with state TV, Rezaei claimed that "every day we are selling one million, one and a half million [barrels], as if Iran's oil production and trade are continuing as usual."
asserted
production → claim → barrels
The Aporia
.png?width=1200&auto=webp&trim=0%2C100%2C0%2C100)
