Iran’s parliament has endorsed a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, in response to overnight US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.
Iran’s state-owned broadcaster Press TV reported that the legislature had reached a consensus to close the strait. However, the final decision rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it said.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway that separates Iran and Oman and serves as a vital gateway for oil shipments from Persian Gulf countries. The strait connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most critical oil chokepoints. About 30% of global seaborne oil shipments pass through the narrow passage, making it extremely important for the world economy.
Any closure of the strait would likely cause oil prices to spike dramatically and could severely disrupt global energy supplies. This vulnerability has become a growing concern amid spiralling regional tensions.
Read Also: Satellite images undermine Trump’s claim Iran’s atomic sites destroyed
The parliamentary endorsement comes directly after the US launched strikes on Iran’s Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities. These are some of Iran’s most important nuclear sites where the country has been enriching uranium.
The American attack, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, involved a series of strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities. It was launched to “neutralise” Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told a press conference on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump, in his message to the nation on Saturday evening, proclaimed the attacks a “spectacular military success.” Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated,” he said.
