Why US-Iran Tensions Put Focus on Strait of Hormuz: QuickTake

Iran’s government has said it will “defend itself and respond like never before” should US President Donald Trump follow through on threats to attack the country if it doesn’t agree to a deal to curb its nuclear program. One option for retaliation would be to try to block or effectively close the Strait of Hormuz.

This narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf handles about a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade. If Iran were to deny access to the giant tankers that ferry oil and gas from the Middle East to China, Europe, the US and ...