US EditionIran unleashes oil shock to blunt US firepower
Iran reduced tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz by 97% to leverage economic pressure on the U.S. and Israel and force an end to hostilities.
- Iran's leadership has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, causing traffic to drop by 97% since the war began on February 28, and halting about a fifth of global oil and LNG flows.
- The IRGC's plan was activated on February 28 after the start of the conflict, reflecting Iran's long-standing strategy to hold the oil lifeline hostage to offset superior foes.
- Using missiles and drones, Iran disperses low-cost strikes across the Gulf under an IRGC doctrine, disrupting traffic without heavy mining this month.
- The strategy seeks to conjure economic pressure on U.S. leaders to force President Donald Trump to halt the war and weaken U.S. domestic support, with Ali Vaez warning 'If Iran takes the global economy hostage, Trump would blink first.'
- By stretching the battlefield beyond its borders, Tehran aims to outlast rivals by weaponising the corridor, while analysts say total defeat requires a land invasion of up to a million troops Washington avoids.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Why is it so easy for Iran to shut the Strait of Hormuz?
Following through on an old threat, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a vital waterway that normally carries about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes. As oil markets worry about a global energy crisis, the United States has said it may consider escorting vessels through the strait, which could prove very hard to secure - something Yemen's Houthis proved in…
Times of India
The Economic TimesIran unleashes oil shock to counter US-Israel firepower
Iran has transformed the Strait of Hormuz into a formidable instrument of leverage, restricting shipments of oil and gas as a form of geopolitical maneuvering. This tactic is directed at influencing U.S. and Israeli policies. Utilizing an array of missiles and drones, Iran's strategy seeks to create economic hardship designed to prompt a cessation of hostilities.
Transcript: Trump Outburst over Oil Shock Goes Awry as Advisers Panic
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the March 13 episode of the Daily Blast podcast. Listen to it here.Greg Sargent: This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR Network. I’m your host, Greg Sargent.The global fiasco that Donald Trump has created around the Strait of Hormuz is rapidly getting worse. An international agency says the closing of the strait is creating the largest global oil supply dis…
Iran’s Leaders Emboldened by Oil Shock
“Arab diplomats trying to find a diplomatic path out of the war now being waged by the U.S. and Israel against Iran say Tehran, emboldened by its ability to rattle the global economy by choking oil shipments, has laid out steep preconditions for any return to talks,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Iran is demanding that the airstrikes stop before it entertains cease-fire discussions and wants firm guarantees that it won’t be attacked again if…
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