U.S. Blockade Could Break Iran If Washington Holds The Line

By Helen Raleigh | Commentary, The Federalist

This week, the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. The action marks a significant escalation following the collapse of peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. While the move carries considerable risks, it also offers substantial potential rewards.

The Strait of Hormuz, with Iran controlling its northern shore, has long been one of the world’s most critical energy arteries. Before the war, roughly 20 percent of global seaborne oil trade and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) passed through its narrow waters.

Since the war began, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has weaponized the strait by attacking shipping vessels and laying naval mines. This created a de facto blockade that drastically reduced traffic, allowing passage only for select tankers belonging to its allies — primarily China, Russia, and India.

Although Iran reached a temporary cease-fire agreement with the U.S., it has refused to fully reopen the strait. Instead, it has imposed excessive “tolls” of up to $2 million per voyage. In doing so, Iran has turned a vital international waterway into a tool of asymmetric deterrence and economic coercion. If left unchallenged, Tehran will have little incentive to pursue peace.

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