By Muhammad Luqman
Iran’s parliament has endorsed a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global transit chokepoint, in response to overnight U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Iranian state media reported Sunday.
Iran’s state-owned broadcaster Press TV reported that the legislature had reached a consensus to close the strait. The final decision rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it said.
A senior Iranian lawmaker, Esmaeil Kowsari, said on Sunday that the Majlis (Iranian parliament) has agreed to close the key artery for global energy trade in response to the American aggression and the silence of the international community.
Kowsari, a member of the parliament’s committee on national security and foreign policy, said lawmakers have reached a consensus on the closure of the strait, though the final decision rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
“The parliament has come to the conclusion that it should close the Hormuz Strait, but the final decision lies with the Supreme National Security Council,” Kowsari stated.
The Strait of Hormuz, situated at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, is one of the most critical chokepoints in global trade, with roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil passing through it.
According to various estimates, roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil, about 17 to 18 million barrels per day, passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it important for global energy.
The narrow strait also sees the transit of a significant amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG), especially from Qatar, which is one of the world’s top LNG exporters.
Strait of Hormuz is the only sea route that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is home to major oil producers such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE.
Experts have long warned that any disruption or closure of the strait can lead to immediate and major spikes in global oil prices and disturb the global energy security.
