Iran starts military drills in world's most critical oil transit strait
Illustrative photo: Iran conducts military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz (Getty Images)
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched military drills in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, DW reports.
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The drills, named Smart Control of Hormuz Strait, are aimed at testing the operational forces’ readiness to respond to "possible security and military threats."
The maneuvers are taking place amid a sharp rise in tensions with the United States. The situation has escalated over Iran’s nuclear program and Tehran’s response to anti-government protests last month.
In addition, last week, US President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, continuing to threaten strikes against Iran.
Meanwhile, a new round of nuclear talks mediated by Oman is scheduled to take place in Geneva on Tuesday.
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime route between Oman and Iran, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
The US Energy Information Administration describes it as the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint, through which large volumes of crude from OPEC countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq — are transported.
At the same time, radical factions in Iran have repeatedly threatened to block the strait to global trade amid rising tensions with Washington.
According to Reuters, ahead of the next round of direct talks in Geneva, Iran proposed a large-scale economic deal to the United States in exchange for sanctions relief.
Tehran says it is ready to offer direct benefits to the American side through investments in oil and gas fields, the mining sector, and the aviation market.
Unlike the 2015 pact, the new approach envisions the creation of shared economic interests to ensure the durability of any agreement.
