Strait of Hormuz: US intel predicts when Iran to reopen passage
Photo: Iran has blocked the strait since the start of the conflict (Getty Images)
Iran is unlikely to reopen the Strait of Hormuz anytime soon, as control over this key artery of global oil supplies remains Tehran's main leverage over the United States, according to Reuters.
According to intelligence data, Iran is unlikely to reopen the Strait of Hormuz anytime soon, as control over this key artery of global oil supplies remains Tehran's main leverage over the US.
Reports also indicate that the war, which aimed to weaken Iran’s military power, may in fact strengthen its influence in the region by demonstrating Tehran's ability to threaten a key maritime route.
Trump had tried to downplay the complexity of restoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which transports about one-fifth of the world's oil. On Friday, he suggested he might order US forces to reopen the passage.
However, analysts have long warned that attempting to use force against Iran, which controls one side of the strait, could be costly and draw the US into a prolonged ground war. One expert notes that Tehran understands its ability to influence global energy markets through control of the strait, calling it "far more powerful than nuclear weapons."
Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the war with the US and Israel. Since then, global oil prices have surged as many tankers carrying "black gold" were unable to pass.
Trump tried to reopen the strait, even seeking help from NATO allies, but recently he has moved away from this approach and opted to offer the market alternative solutions.
