Iran’s parliament is reviewing a plan to ban ships linked to the U.S., Israel and other “hostile countries” from transiting the Strait of Hormuz until Tehran is compensated for war damage, according to Iranian state media.
The plan would impose fees of up to 7% of cargo value on commercial vessels that pass through the strait. It would also fine ships 20% of cargo if they violate Iran’s conditions.
Iran on Wednesday said it was finalizing an agreement on shipping routes with Oman, a U.S. ally that sits on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying that ships would enter through the strait’s northern corridor near the Iranian coast and exit through the southern corridor near the Omani coast.
Absolute clusterfuck. Everyone has a theory until shit actually goes down and you see how it plays out. Iran has functional control of Hormuz, and any attempt to take that away would be too costly to bear.
Depleted and bombed out as Iran is, they still hold all the cards. And now they have a leader far less inclined to negotiate. Maybe a European power with sway should align with a moderate Middle Eastern power with sway and try to hammer out an agreement.
As a European, I would not support an agreement that helps the US.
I was referring to an agreement that would reopen Hormuz to avert global catastrophe. If oil goes to 200+ a barrel, everyone’s economy burns.
Ah, I see, I thought you meant that Europe could put pressure to help the US. A global recession is of course bad, but I will say that I’m personally willing to endure some economic hardship if it means that we move faster to renewable energy sources and that the US is not appeased in any way.