The Strait of Hormuz must stay open

The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, and its uninterrupted flow is essential to global stability. Every day, approximately 21 million barrels of crude oil—roughly 21 per cent of global petroleum consumption—pass through this narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. To nickname it a “special international waterway” and treat it as a universal resource is not a mere geostrategic fiction but an economic necessity. The strait must never again face closure, and all nations must act to ensure its permanent openness.
History shows that closures, even threatened ones, trigger global economic shocks. In 2019, when tensions flared and Iran threatened to block the strait...