Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Iran Threatens to Stop Gulf Oil Shipments

Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Iran Threatens to Stop Gulf Oil Shipments

Iran has threatened to halt oil exports from the Gulf region as its conflict with the United States and Israel intensifies, raising fears of a major disruption to global energy supplies.

The warning comes despite assurances from Donald Trump that the war could soon come to an end.

Tehran’s stance follows attacks on vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but critical maritime corridor through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil passes to markets in Asia and Europe.

The waterway connects major oil producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates to global energy markets, making it one of the most important chokepoints for international oil trade.

The disruption has already unsettled global oil markets and heightened concerns over possible oil supply shortages.

Earlier in the week, oil prices surged above $100 per barrel after reports that Iranian strikes and rising security risks forced shipping traffic to slow across the Gulf. Prices later eased after Trump said the war would be “ended soon,” helping calm markets that had reacted sharply to the escalating tensions.

However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dismissed the claim, insisting that neither Tehran nor Washington would determine when the war ends.

According to the IRGC, the Iranian armed forces “will not allow the export of a single litre of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice.”

READ ALSO:

• Turaki‑Led PDP Rejects Court of Appeal Ruling, Heads to Supreme Court
• US to Designate Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorist Organisation
• NRC Investigates Assault Allegation Against UI Lecturer at Moniya Station

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, also signalled the country was ready for a prolonged confrontation.

He said Iran was prepared to continue missile strikes against its enemies “as long as needed and as long as it takes,” while suggesting that further diplomatic negotiations with Washington were unlikely in the near term.

Meanwhile, countries across the region are moving to contain the fallout from the escalating crisis.

In Egypt, authorities have raised fuel prices by as much as 30 per cent in response to rising global oil costs, while Pakistan has offered naval escorts for commercial vessels travelling through the Gulf to protect shipping lanes.

France has also deployed warships to the region to help secure maritime traffic amid fears of further attacks on tankers.

Energy industry leaders have warned that a prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could have severe consequences for the global economy.

The chief executive of Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, cautioned that the longer the disruption continues, the more serious the impact on global oil markets.

He warned that “catastrophic consequences” could follow if shipping through the vital energy corridor fails to resume quickly.

To reduce the impact of potential disruptions, Saudi Arabia has begun redirecting part of its oil exports through its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, allowing some shipments to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

However, energy analysts say the alternative route cannot fully replace the massive volumes of crude normally transported through the Gulf.

Experts warn that if the conflict escalates further and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is significantly disrupted, as much as 15 million barrels of oil per day could be removed from global supply.

Such a shock could push oil prices toward $150 per barrel, trigger higher global fuel prices, and intensify inflation pressures across economies worldwide.

Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Iran Threatens to Stop Gulf Oil Shipments