Iran considers closing Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions

Iran is threatening to further escalate tensions in the Persian Gulf, with its parliament provisionally approving a proposal to close the Strait of Hormuz—a critical maritime chokepoint through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas trade passes, Reuters reports.

The final decision rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and no timeline or formal implementation has been announced. However, senior Iranian officials have confirmed the proposal is under serious consideration.

Esmail Kowsari, a member of parliament and senior commander in the Revolutionary Guard, told the Young Journalist Club: “The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is on our agenda and will be implemented whenever deemed necessary.”

The threat follows closely on the heels of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, marking a shift in the crisis from direct military engagement to economic and energy dimensions. The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is a vital corridor for oil exports from key regional producers, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, and Iraq.

In response, Western maritime security authorities have raised the alarm. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the British Navy’s unit monitoring commercial shipping, has upgraded the threat level to “high risk” for U.S. and Western vessels operating in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Should Iran move forward with closing the strait, it would represent one of the most serious acts of strategic coercion in the region in decades. Analysts warn such a move could spark a dramatic spike in global energy prices, with wide-ranging economic and geopolitical consequences.