Hossein Mehbdi, a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that any merchant ship or vessel “of the enemy” that enters a new area announced by the Islamic Republic without coordination will be placed on a sanctions list and will be denied maritime, insurance, and support services.

Mehbdi said that this restriction will continue even after the vessels leave the designated area, and that if they travel again through the Strait of Hormuz they also will not be able to receive these services.

These remarks were made after Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic, announced the creation of a prohibited area outside the Strait of Hormuz. According to Rezaei, this area begins from the “U.S. naval quarantine line” and includes parts of the Persian Gulf.