Despite international waters prohibiting tolls, both the US and Iran seek influence over the Strait of Hormuz for strategic leverage. While Washington aims to engineer its maritime tutelage via aggression and maintain regional dominance, Tehran uses the strait as a bargaining chip to pressure global powers, project strength and assert sovereignty amid sanctions. Control or presence in the strait symbolizes power and deterrence, not financial gain. Both nations exploit the waterway’s geopolitical importance to advance broader security and political objectives. Neutrally arguing, both Washington and Tehran erode the framework of maritime stability by shifting from’ ’a codified international rules to transactional bilateral power mechanics.’’

An American blockade of the Strait refers to US and allied naval interdiction restricting maritime traffic and trade to and from Iranian ports. In contrast, Iranian control of the strait refers to Tehran’s use of military assets to intercept, divert or halt merchant shipping. Washington seeks to protect global oil supplies by maintaining a strong security presence, supporting its Gulf allies, stabilizing energy markets and projecting regional power. Tehran, meanwhile, views the strait as a tool of sovereignty, national security and diplomatic leverage, using it to deter foreign intervention, pressure Gulf States, circumvent sanctions and influence global energy supplies during geopolitical standoffs.

According to the MoU’s article 5, ‘’The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman, to define the future administration and........

© Pakistan Observer