Iran and US exchange threats over Strait of Hormuz; Trump imposes 20% tariff on cargo
When two nations clash in a narrow sea lane through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, the stakes could not be higher. Iran asserts its sovereignty over the strait and vows to defend it by force, while the US responds with new tariffs and threats of blockade. Every statement here is not just rhetoric but a step on the minefield of geopolitics, where a single mistake could trigger a global economic upheaval.
On Monday, the Central Command of Iran's Armed Forces, the "Khatam al Anbiya" headquarters, said the country will not allow the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz. Spokesman Ibrahim Zolfaghari, in a video address aired by Iranian media, said "US adventurism" had "seriously endangered the region's security, international trade and the passage of oil tankers." "We will not allow, under any circumstances, the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz," Zolfaghari said, adding that Iran's armed forces remain ready to respond. He warned regional countries that Iran considers any cooperation with the United States and the provision of logistical support to the US military as acts of war against Iran's national sovereignty and security, stating that if war expands, its consequences will affect "all countries in the region."
Separately, a representative of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Mohebbi, accused the United States of threatening the security of global oil and gas supplies by interfering in Strait of Hormuz affairs. "We will continue to exercise sovereignty and control over the Strait of Hormuz by force and will force foreigners and their allies to surrender to the will of the Iranian people," the representative added.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States is renewing its blockade of Iran, preventing Iranian vessels from entering or leaving the strait. In a post on Truth Social, Trump also said the US would be the "guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz and would impose a 20 percent tariff on all cargo carried through the waterway, calling it a "matter of fairness."
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic artery through which about 20% of global oil supplies pass daily. The conflict between the US and Iran over control of the strait escalated after Iran previously closed it and the US carried out a series of airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure. Trump's 20% tariff is an unprecedented move that could drive up global energy prices.
As CCTV+ reports. Experts warn that escalation in the strait could have serious consequences for the global economy.
