Iran Announces Prohibited Zone Near Strait of Hormuz and Raises Fuel Prices

Iran’s top security chief Mohsen Rezaei on Sunday said his country would establish a “prohibited zone” near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state media reported.

“In the coming days, a prohibited zone will be announced outside the Strait of Hormuz. This zone will start from the US Navy’s blockade line and include areas of the Persian Gulf. Any ship entering this new zone will be placed on the sanctions list” of Iran, Rezaei told state television.

Also on Sunday, Iranian authorities said they were raising the price of petrol for heavier consumers, as the United States steps up sanctions seeking to isolate the country’s economy.

Iran’s quota system prices petrol in three tiers – 1,500 tomans per litre for a consumer’s first 60 litres in a given month, 3,000 tomans per litre for their next 50, and 5,000 tomans per litre after that. The toman is an informal unit equivalent to 10 Iranian rials.

On Sunday, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said the price for the third tier would double to 10,000 tomans (about 4.5 US cents).

“The rate will increase to 10,000 toman rials from the morning of September 8,” Mohajerani said in remarks carried by state media.

“Different numbers were mentioned in expert meetings but because the president had promised the people, the rate of 10,000 tomans was set,” she added.