In a world where energy security is more intertwined than ever with national security and political stability, separating energy economics from geopolitical realities can become a costly strategic mistake. The experience of recent decades in the Middle East has shown that oil, gas, and energy transit routes are only part of the equation. The other part concerns the political, security, and ideological structures that dominate these resources and vital chokepoints.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the clearest examples of this reality. This narrow waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf to the open seas, serves as the main artery for global energy transit. According to international estimates, approximately 20% of the world’s consumed oil and nearly 25% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore, any threat to the security of this passageway is not merely a regional issue but can have far-reaching consequences for the global economy.

Over the past four decades, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz or disrupt energy flows through it in the event of heightened tensions. Many Western governments have viewed these threats as part of Tehran’s deterrence rhetoric and have rarely seen them as signs of a deeper problem. However, the reality is that the dependence of a significant portion of the global economy on a chokepoint constantly exposed to geopolitical tensions constitutes a strategic vulnerability in itself.

The main flaw in Western policy toward the Islamic Republic has been defining energy security primarily in terms of supply and demand. Discussions have often focused on oil production capacity, export volumes, strategic reserves, and alternative transportation routes, while insufficient attention has been paid to a far more decisive factor: the political and security nature of an ideological, apocalyptic regime that controls one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical points.

As Ariel Cohen pointed out in his analysis in The Hill, any sustainable strategy toward Iran must take into account the role of the Strait of Hormuz in global energy........

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