Can Iran turn control of Hormuz into lasting geopolitical influence?
Hormuz as an Instrument of Selective Energy Diplomacy: Iran Turns a Chokepoint into Leverage The Strait of Hormuz is no longer simply open or closed. Iran is increasingly deciding who gets through , transforming geography into a powerful instrument of selective energy diplomacy. What Is Happening Now? Iran has granted special permission for several Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after repeated diplomatic requests from Baghdad. Iraq has been particularly exposed because its oil exports depend heavily on Gulf access. Yet normal shipping remains far away. Ship-tracking data cited by Reuters showed only seven commodity vessels crossed Hormuz on Thursday , compared with roughly 140 daily ship passages before the war. No large crude carriers or LNG tankers were recorded among those seven. Why It Matters This creates something more politically useful to Tehran than a simple blockade: selective access . Reuters previously documented an Iranian clearance system involving...