Kusari, a member of the National Security Committee of the Iranian Parliament, said on the 22nd that the Iranian Parliament has concluded that the Strait of Hormuz should be closed, but the final decision lies with the Iranian Supreme National Security Council.
The Strait of Hormuz is located between Oman and Iran. It is the only sea route for oil from the Gulf region to be transported to the rest of the world. About one-third of the world’s seaborne crude oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Previously, Iran had threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz many times, but none of them were actually fully implemented. So, will Iran really block the Strait of Hormuz this time?
Although the Iranian Parliament has concluded that the Strait of Hormuz should be closed. But in Iran’s decision-making system, the parliament is not a core decision-making department. The Iranian Parliament mainly expresses public opinion and emotions.
Hormuz Strait
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow strait connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, important oil producing areas in the Middle East. It is also the only waterway from the Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf. The northern shore of the strait is Iran, with the port of Abbas; the southern shore of the strait is Oman. There is a large island called Qeshm Island on the side of the strait close to Iran, and Hormuz Island in the north, all of which are Iranian islands. The southern part belongs to Oman, where Arabs are the main ethnic group.
The Strait of Hormuz has been a hub of culture, economy, and trade between Eastern and Western countries since ancient times. In the early 16th century, the Portuguese Empire began to invade the region, and later became an important target for Britain, the Netherlands, France, Russia, etc. As one of the busiest waterways in the world today, the Strait of Hormuz is also known as an important throat in the world. It has a very important economic and strategic position and is the only sea route for the transportation of oil from the Gulf region to all parts of the world. A large amount of oil is shipped from here every year, so the Strait of Hormuz is known as the “maritime lifeline”, “world oil valve”, and “oil strait” of the West.
Qeshm Island: China participated in the construction of the Qeshm oil terminal and leased oil depots.
Chabahar Port: An Iranian port roughly close to Pakistan, with investments from both China and India, similar to Pakistan’s famous port of Gwadar.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the channels for Iran and other Gulf oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to export crude oil. About one-third of the world’s seaborne crude oil trade depends on this strait.
Because oil is called the blood of industry, the Persian Gulf in the Middle East is the region with the largest oil reserves in the world, and the Strait of Hormuz is the only outlet from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. So once the Strait of Hormuz is closed, the global industry will be fatally affected.