‘More Sleepless Nights Ahead’: Iran Announces New Hormuz Action Plan, Warns US After Drone Downing

Iran has signalled a fresh escalation in its confrontation with the US, announcing a new parliamentary initiative focused on the Strait of Hormuz while warning that “subsequent measures are forthcoming” and would keep its enemies “awake at night”.

Iran’s National Security Commission chief Ebrahim Azizi said the ‘Strategic Action for the Security and Sustainable Progress of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf’ Bill was formally introduced in the Iranian Parliament on Monday night, coinciding with what Tehran claimed was the downing of US drones.

“We remain steadfast in defending our red lines, particularly regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz. This is the first step; subsequent measures are forthcoming,” the senior Iranian official said.

The remarks underscore Tehran’s intention to tighten its posture over one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints amid an intensifying military and political standoff with Washington.

The latest warning comes against the backdrop of rapidly escalating tensions in the Gulf after the United States launched fresh strikes on Iranian military targets and announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump has also proposed charging commercial vessels for safe passage through the vital shipping lane, arguing that Washington should be reimbursed for securing one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.

Iran has strongly rejected the US move, insisting it has the right to manage traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. In recent days, Tehran has retaliated with attacks across the region, including strikes targeting Bahrain, Jordan and two tankers linked to the United Arab Emirates transiting the strait, further fuelling fears of a wider regional conflict.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy arteries, with roughly one-fifth of globally traded crude oil and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas passing through it during peacetime. Any disruption to shipping through the narrow waterway carries the potential to rattle global energy markets and push up oil prices.

Iran’s latest parliamentary initiative suggests that Tehran is preparing to pursue additional legal, strategic and possibly military measures over the waterway as its confrontation with the US deepens. While details of the proposed legislation have not yet been made public, Iranian officials have made it clear that the Bill represents only the beginning of a broader strategy concerning the Strait of Hormuz.