U.S. Repeatedly Pressures Allies to Join; Iran Announces 'New Control Zone'

[Anchor]

Military clashes between the United States and Iran are escalating, centering on the Strait of Hormuz. While the U.S. is urging its allies to provide military support, Iran has warned that it will expand its control zone to the outer edges of the strait.

For our first piece of news today (the 7th), Washington correspondent Lee Hanseok reports.

[Reporter]

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright emphasized that while the U.S. military's operation to support crude oil transport in the strait is currently an essential "new normal" for ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, other nations must also join by contributing military assets.

[Chris Wright / U.S. Energy Secretary: I think other countries will join in this effort going forward, because global trade is an important matter.]

Military operations are also intensifying.

The U.S. Central Command announced that it has initiated a maritime blockade against Iran by deploying F-35 stealth fighters and other assets, having diverted 92 commercial vessels and neutralized three so far.

As the U.S. strongly pressures its external allies to join militarily, the calculations of friendly nations, including South Korea, are becoming more complicated.

Amidst this, a White House official noted that South Korea is one of the major importers of Middle Eastern crude oil, pressing that the U.S. is still waiting for South Korea to commit resources.

Iran is meeting the U.S. reinforcement of its blockade with a hardline stance.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned that a maritime control zone will be declared around the Strait of Hormuz within days, and entering vessels will be sanctioned.

He also claimed that special anti-ship missiles targeting U.S. warships were test-fired.

Furthermore, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the era of proportional response has ended, stating that strikes on U.S. bases were only the beginning and that even more gruesome retaliation would follow.

With civilian casualties occurring from Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, military tensions across the entire Middle East are reaching an all-time high amid the high-stakes standoff between the U.S. and Iran.

(Camera Reporter: Park Eunha | Video Editor: Lee Seungyeol)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.