Washington Moves at UN to Pressure on Tehran as Iran Threatens Maritime Exclusion Zone in Gulf
Welat TV – Erbil
Tensions between the United States and Iran are escalating diplomatically and militarily, with Washington seeking to increase international pressure on Tehran through the United Nations, while Iran is threatening to establish a maritime exclusion zone in the Persian Gulf and target U.S. military bases and warships.
According to Bloomberg, Washington plans to intensify diplomatic pressure on Tehran in the coming days through a draft resolution backed by the United States and European countries and to be presented to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors. The move could pave the way for referring Iran’s nuclear file to the United Nations Security Council.
Urgent International Demands on Tehran
The draft resolution calls on Iran to address what it describes as its “non-compliance” with international obligations and to once again allow international inspectors access to its nuclear facilities. The proposal comes amid growing concern over the IAEA’s inability to verify the status of Iran’s nuclear activities and materials.
Inspectors Denied Access to Nuclear Sites
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has said that the agency’s inspectors remain unable to access Iran’s nuclear sites, limiting its ability to obtain information and conduct field verification of Iran’s nuclear activities and materials. The IAEA has previously reported that its inability to access several Iranian facilities has prevented it from assessing their current status and verifying the whereabouts and status of nuclear material.
Tehran Criticizes Pressure and Defends Inspection Restrictions
Iran has rejected the European position, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismaeel Baghaei describing it as “irrational” and warning that Tehran would respond strongly if the resolution is adopted.
Iran has justified continued restrictions on access to its nuclear facilities by citing security conditions resulting from the war, arguing that some sites cannot currently be reached.
Iran Warns Washington of Maritime Exclusion Zone
On the military front, Mohsen Razhaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued direct warnings to Washington, saying Iran was recalibrating its operational posture toward U.S. vessels and military bases in response to what Tehran describes as an economic blockade.
Razhaei said Iran would establish a new “restricted zone” extending across the Persian Gulf from the area of the existing U.S. blockade. He also warned that unauthorized vessels entering the zone could face sanctions. Iran has also indicated that it intends to establish a new international shipping corridor in coordination with Oman, further raising concerns over the future of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
A New Phase of Escalation
The latest developments point to a new phase of escalation between Washington and Tehran, amid stalled diplomatic channels and diminishing prospects for de-escalation.
The reciprocal threats are raising regional and international concerns that diplomatic efforts could fail and that the confrontation could expand further, potentially affecting security in the Persian Gulf, freedom of navigation, and the stability of global energy markets.