Iranian media reported on Sunday that Iran’s parliament has voted to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities, a step that could significantly impact the global oil markets and economy.
Esmaeil Kowsari, a senior Iranian lawmaker, said it was now up to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council whether to go through with closing the waterway. “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,” he said.
Roughly 18 million barrels of crude oil — about 20% of the world’s consumption — move through the Strait of Hormuz each day, making it a vital choke point for global energy trade. According to Newsweek, some experts suggest that closing the strait could raise oil prices by 30% to 50%, potentially leading to a $5 increase in gasoline prices per gallon.
Iran has made clear that closing the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, was an option if the US launched a direct attack. Iranian officials have also warned that the Iranian military could hit US bases in the region, which could lead to massive US casualties, and an attack could be coming soon.
President Trump and his top officials have threatened more attacks on Iran if there is retaliation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to say on Sunday if the US would bomb Iran again if the Strait of Hormuz were closed. “I’m not going to take options away from the president, that’s not something we’re talking about right now in terms of being immediate,” he said.
Rubio acknowledged that closing the strait would have an impact on the US, but suggested it would be “suicidal” for Iran to shut down the waterway. “That would be a suicidal move on [Iran’s] part, because I think the whole world would come against them if they did that,” he said.
President Trump bombed Iran without approval from Congress, making it an illegal war under the US Constitution. He is now claiming that he wants to pursue diplomacy with Iran, but Tehran has little reason to trust the US since the Trump administration backed Israel’s assault during previous negotiations.
