Iran’s Parliament approves decision to close strait of Hormuz

The Iranian parliament has approved a decision regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Azernews reports, citinf foreign media.

The move now requires confirmation from Iran’s National Security Council.

Previously, Iran’s Ministry of Defense indicated that the closure of the strait was a possibility.

It should be noted that the Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest point, the strait is about 21 miles wide, with two shipping lanes two miles wide in each direction.

During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, Iran targeted oil tankers and oil loading facilities with mines and missiles, including Chinese-made Silkworm cruise missiles, and used speedboats to harass tankers. These actions did not fully block the strait but caused sharp increases in shipping insurance premiums and delayed maritime traffic.