The Strait of Hormuz and the price of selective principles

https://arab.news/4dz27

Is it realpolitik or hegemony’s classic face? When President Donald Trump declares that the United States would “control the Strait of Hormuz and get paid for it,” his statement generates a surprisingly muted reaction internationally. Yet whenever Iran suggests exercising similar control over the same waterway, it is immediately portrayed as a threat to international peace and freedom of navigation. The contrasting reactions expose more than diplomatic double standards; they reveal the geopolitical realities surrounding the world’s most critical maritime chokepoint.

The Strait of Hormuz is not simply a narrow passage separating Iran from Oman. Barely 33 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, it connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Every day, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption and a significant share of global liquefied natural gas exports pass through these waters. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar all depend heavily on the strait to export hydrocarbons. Any disruption immediately reverberates through global energy markets, shipping insurance premiums and financial markets.

Geography has given Iran a unique strategic advantage. The northern coastline of the strait belongs almost entirely to Iran, while Oman controls the southern side through the Musandam Peninsula. Much of the internationally recognized shipping lanes pass through waters over which Iran exercises territorial jurisdiction, although navigation rights are protected under international maritime law. This geographical reality has long provided Tehran with considerable leverage during periods of confrontation with the United States and its allies. Iran has repeatedly described the Strait of Hormuz as part of its national security perimeter. Whenever sanctions intensify or military confrontation escalates, Tehran reminds the world that it........

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