Iran moves to turn Hormuz control into strategic and economic leverage

Last updated: May 14, 2026 | 05:39

This screen grab from video released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and aired by state broadcaster IRIB on April 23, 2026, allegedly shows IRGC naval forces boarding a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. AFP

According to an analysis by CNN, that same logic now hangs over the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran and the United States appear locked in a dangerous test of endurance with no clear off-ramp — and with the global economy caught in the middle.

Iran has effectively shut the strategic waterway to normal commercial transit, insisting vessels pass through Iranian-controlled waters and comply with a new routing and toll system .…