Iran’s parliament speaker threatens to cut off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strait that carries a large share of global oil and grain transport.

Gate News message: On April 5, according to a report by NBC (National Broadcasting Company) in the United States, on April 3, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf posted on the social platform X, seemingly threatening to block commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. In the post, Qalibaf asked: “How much of the world’s share of oil, LNG (liquefied natural gas), wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments has to pass through the Strait of Hormuz?” and followed up with: “Which countries and companies have the highest share of cargo volumes transported through this strait?” The Strait of Hormuz is a vital choke point of the Red Sea. In recent years, ships passing through the area have repeatedly been attacked by Yemen’s Houthi armed group, which is allied with Iran. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2023 about 12% of global seaborne oil trade passed through the Strait of Hormuz. As this threat was issued, part of the shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was affected, though some ships could still pass.