Iran warns US ‘economic warfare’ could trigger Gulf maritime exclusion zone

A senior Iranian security official warned early Tuesday that if the US continued to wage “economic warfare” against Iran, it could trigger the establishment of a maritime exclusion zone across the Gulf. Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington had received a clear warning in recent days from Iran’s new missiles. “Economic warfare will be met by a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf to the blockade perimeter,” Rezaei said in a post on the US social media platform X. Iran’s security chief Major General Mohsen Rezaei has announced that a new restricted zone will be declared outside the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, warning that any vessel entering the area without coordination with Tehran will be placed on an Iranian sanctions list. pic.twitter.com/91BZtYZ8CJ — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) September 7, 2026 He added that Tehran had “fundamentally recalibrated” its operational posture toward US warships and bases. Read: Iran can 'ground' American forces anywhere: Iranian naval commander Regional tensions have escalated since US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28, with Tehran responding with missile and drone strikes against Israel and US interests across the region. Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in June mediated by Pakistan and Qatar outlining steps toward ending hostilities, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing economic restrictions. The two sides have since accused each other of failing to implement commitments under the memorandum, while military tensions have continued alongside disputes over sanctions and navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar calls for phased de-escalation for sustainable solution to Iran war Qatar is seeking to “phase this crisis out” rather than pursue an immediate end to the US-Iran war, with the broader goal of creating the conditions for comprehensive regional dialogue and a sustainable political solution, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Monday. Speaking to CNN, Al-Ansari said Doha believes the current crisis cannot simply be frozen, warning that a temporary halt in hostilities could pave the way for another escalation. “We have to phase this crisis out rather than end it immediately,” he said. “What we need to do is make sure the playing field is in a place where we can have the right negotiations for a sustainable solution.” He said Qatar does not want the region to move from one period of intense conflict to another, stressing that any resolution must address the underlying regional issues. “We do not want to go from a high-intensity conflict to a high-intensity conflict. We don't want to freeze this conflict and be back here a couple of months later,” he said. Al-Ansari said Qatar’s immediate priorities are to ease economic pressure and prevent further military escalation across the region, including attacks affecting Gulf states and Iran. Read more: Iran’s army chief says US seeking to offset battlefield setbacks through economic pressure “Right now, what we are doing, we have two main priorities. One is to make sure that the Strait (of Hormuz) is open and that the economic pressure on all of us collectively and the peoples in the region, including the people of Iran, has left us.” The second priority, he said, is preventing further military escalation so that regional actors can eventually push for an inclusive dialogue. “When we get to that point, this is the point we need to have a regional push, all of us collectively, to make sure that dialogue happens and it is a comprehensive dialogue that includes all of us, not just outside.” Al-Ansari said political will and technical issues remain the two main obstacles to settling, adding that Qatar is developing proposals aimed at addressing both. He also argued that sanctions have failed to deliver the expected diplomatic results, saying the conflict ultimately can only be resolved through negotiations. “But in the end, this issue will only be resolved through a deal. It will only be resolved at the negotiation table.” He also warned against allowing the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz to become normalised, saying the consequences could extend beyond the region through energy, food and economic shocks. “We need to kill this in its infancy. It cannot become the new normal in war for countries to basically just close waterways in this way.” He called for accountability and international law to prevail, warning that normalisation of such tactics could have consequences far beyond the current conflict. Houthi attacks injure 73 civilians in southern Saudi Arabia At least 73 civilians were injured following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group targeting cities and economic infrastructure in southern Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led military coalition said Tuesday. Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki said the Houthis launched "senseless attacks" against civilian and commercial sites in the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. Al-Maliki characterised the strikes, which injured civilians including women and children, as a "dangerous escalation" and a "blatant violation" of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty. He accused the group of deliberate "extremist and criminal behaviour" that undermines peace and stability in Yemen and neighbouring Arab states. Al-Maliki affirmed that the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will deploy "all necessary operational measures" to deter the hostile attacks and protect Saudi citizens. The coalition also promised to "take all necessary measures" to neutralize the sources of the threat. Yemeni government says ‘decision has been made’ to retake Sanaa from Houthis Yemen's internationally recognised government said Monday that a decision has been made to retake the capital Sanaa from the Houthi group. “The decision has been made to retake Sana’a. There are surprises we will not reveal now," Deputy Defense Minister Major General Samir Al-Sabri told state-run Yemen TV. In a post on the US social media platform X, Yemeni army spokesman Majid al-Nuzaili also said their goal is to recapture Sanaa. "From today, we declare that our goal is clear and unequivocal: to liberate Yemen from the grip of the terrorist Houthi militias and restore Sanaa as a capital for all Yemenis," al-Nuzaili wrote. Stressing that they extend their hands to all Yemenis in every part of the country, he added: "We affirm that all Yemenis are partners in the future, and that there is no place for revenge or retribution, nor for discrimination among the citizens of one nation."