Iran to impose restricted shipping zone near Strait of Hormuz

Iran state media on Monday said a ballistic missile with improved capabilities was demonstrating a new doctrine: Tehran “will take action against any threat, even before it is carried out.”

The report by Iran’s state news agency repeatedly cited comments aired on state TV the day before by the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, who boasted of new missile capability and claimed it had been “tested” against a U.S. warship. But it was not clear whether what was tested was the missile the new report described, the solid-fueled Qassem Basir.

The U.S. on Saturday said ballistic missiles were launched at U.S. warships and it struck three Iranian oil tankers in response. Experts called the launch a dangerous escalation, noting that until then Iran's attacks at sea had targeted commercial shipping during six months of war. The U.S. said the warships evaded the attacks.

 Iran early Tuesday introduced a higher price for its heaviest users of gasoline, state media reported, in the latest economic pinch caused by months of war. It’s the second such hike since December.

Such gas price increases can be sensitive and contribute to inflation. An increase in 2019 sparked nationwide protests and a crackdown that reportedly killed over 300 people.

Without specifically mentioning the war with the United States, the government’s announcement cited the “current situation,” adding that the extra money from the price increase will be given to households.

Under the new system, people buying more than their quota of 110 liters (29 gallons) of gasoline a month now must pay 100,000 rials (about 7 cents) per liter, or twice as much as they have been paying since December.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is set to announce a significant reset of Britain's relations with Israel on Tuesday 7 Sep.

The announcement includes a ban on trade in goods and some services from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

In a statement to MPs, Miliband is expected to use stronger language than his predecessors in addressing the humanitarian situation in Gaza, reaffirm the call for a two-state solution, and pledge greater active support for Palestinian rights and international law. 

Iran has announced plans to establish a new restricted zone in the Gulf in the coming days, saying it will also publish maps for a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.

The move appears to be part of Tehran's efforts to increase pressure on Washington in response to the US blockade, as renewed attacks on shipping have pushed oil prices higher.

But where will Iran's new restricted zone be, what could happen to ships entering it and what does the move mean for the already heavily restricted Strait of Hormuz?

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The Israeli military could establish a "grey line" in southern Lebanon that would effectively see it pull back closer to the border while maintaining its freedom of movement to strike.

According to a report by Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, the security establishment is considering a significant reduction in forces deployed in southern Lebanon and a withdrawal from some forward positions, in exchange for establishing a new security zone extending three to four kilometres inside Lebanese territory from the border.

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IAEA head Rafael Grossi on Monday said giving the UN nuclear agency access to key nuclear facilities in Iran would have "positive repercussions" for the Islamic Republic, as a draft resolution seen by AFP proposes referring Tehran to the UN Security Council.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not had access to key nuclear facilities in Iran since Israel, joined by the United States, launched a 12-day conflict in June 2025 that included strikes on nuclear sites.

Nuclear facilities have also been hit in the latest war, which erupted on 28 February, and the IAEA has repeatedly urged access.

"The best, shortest way for a positive outcome is for Iran to engage with us," Grossi told a press conference after opening the quarterly meeting of the IAEA board of governors.

A resolution drafted by the United States, Britain, France and Germany expected to be submitted and voted on this week seeks to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for failing to comply with its nuclear reporting obligations.

The draft, seen by AFP, asks Grossi to "submit this resolution to all members of the agency and to the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations".

Asked whether such a referral was the right course of action, Grossi said that "my job with Iran continues, irrespective of the resolution".

"If Iran engages with us in a serious dialogue, if we can start getting access... I can guarantee to you that this will have very, very positive repercussions," he said.

Israel conducted a wave of airstrikes in south Lebanon, killing 12 people, including women and children, the Lebanese health ministry said on Monday, in an intensification of violence after a weeks-long lull.

Israel hit swathes of south Lebanon hard during the Middle East war that erupted with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, and its forces continue to occupy what it calls a "security zone".

One of the overnight strikes hit a building in the town of Kfar Rumman, killing 11 people, including two children and four women.

Another attack in the same town killed a rescuer and wounded another, according to the Lebanese health ministry.