Amid rising tensions following the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, the Iranian parliament has voted to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for energy transportation in the Middle East.
According to Iran's state-run Press TV on the 22nd (local time), Esmail Qasari, chairman of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, noted that "the parliament has voted to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, and the final decision will be made by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC)."
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy supply, with approximately 25% of the world's crude oil consumption and about 20% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) consumption estimated to be transported through this strait. Due to its shallow depth, most large oil tankers must pass through Iranian territorial waters, making it effectively a maritime chokepoint under Iran's control.
If the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is actually carried out, it could lead to a sharp rise in global oil prices as well as serious impacts on the global supply chain. During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, there were attacks on tankers and cargo ships, but Iran had never officially fully blockaded the strait.