Iran has officially closed Strait of Hormuz after United States carried out precision strikes targeting critically important nuclear sites including – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – using B-2 stealth bombers on late Saturday night or in the wee hours on Sunday.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and is the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most strategically important trade choke points. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz may impact global trade and oil prices if continues for long.
According to stats, almost 20 per cent of the world’s oil and significant portion of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The choke point lies between Iran to the north, Oman and the UAE to the South.
The region has become a hotspot especially now when chances of a bigger conflict is looking after US officially entering the Israel-Iran war.
The move has came after Iran’s Parliament approved the decision. Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee member Major General Kowsari informed local media that a consensus has been reached to close the Strait of Hormuz but the final decision will be taken by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Why Strait of Hormuz is a choke point?
The Strait of Hormuz is a 33-kilometer-wide passage with only 2-kilometer-wide shipping lanes, making it one of the busiest sea routes for international trade. Therefore, its closure is nothing short of a shock to global commerce.
US bombs 3 nuclear sites in Iran
The United States which kept the world guessing whether it would enter the Israel-Iran conflict on Sunday morning bombed 3 nuclear sites in Iran namely Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
Taking to Truth Social, the US President said, “We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan also know as Isfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran’s air space. A full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American warriors. There is not another military in the world that could have done this. Now is the time for peace! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
“Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight. Thank you!” Trump added in another post.
Iran says US bombed diplomacy
As the world calls for restrain to both Iran and Israel after United States carried strikes on nuclear sites, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts with its recent military actions.
In a post on X, Araghchi boldly stated “the US decided to blow up that diplomacy.”
Responding to a recent appeal from the European Union and Britain urging Iran to “return to the table,” Iran’s Foreign Minister said that how they can return to something which they never left.
