Iran Declares 'Prohibited Zone' Amid Escalating Tensions with US
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared a new 'prohibited zone' in the Middle East, covering parts of the Gulf of Oman and beyond. The IRGC said this area starts from the direction of Chabahar, covering part of the Sea of Oman and another part of the Arabian Sea.
The move comes as tensions between Iran and the US escalate over a series of attacks on shipping in the region. On Tuesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the IRGC targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice in two days.
The conflict has led to rising oil prices, with Brent oil jumping above $100 a barrel on Wednesday for the first time since July. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Tehran 'has always opposed war' and emphasized the need to preserve regional security.