BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 9. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has reaffirmed the country’s right to self-defence while saying it remains open to mediation through international institutions, including the United Nations Security Council.
The ministry said Iran is prepared to engage in diplomatic efforts but warned that it would continue targeting US assets as long as Washington continues attacks against Iranian vessels and oil tankers.
The statement comes amid a sharp escalation in maritime tensions between Iran and the United States, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waterways.
Shortly after the Foreign Ministry’s statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a maritime restricted area would be extended from the Iranian port city of Chabahar into parts of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The IRGC said the precise coordinates of the restricted area would be announced separately.
The reported expansion would broaden the geographical scope of the current maritime confrontation beyond the Strait of Hormuz, potentially bringing a wider area of the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea into the conflict.
The developments could increase risks for commercial shipping and further complicate naval operations involving Iran and the United States.
