Iran’s foreign minister has warned that one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes could effectively be denied to countries involved in the ongoing military campaign against Iran, raising fears of a major escalation in the regional conflict and global energy disruption.
Speaking amid continuing airstrikes and counterattacks across the Middle East, Abbas Araghchi declared that the Strait of Hormuz remains technically open but not for nations participating in attacks on Iran.
“The Strait of Hormuz is open,” Araghchi said, “but closed to our enemies, to those who carried out this cowardly aggression against us and to their allies.”
His remarks signal that Tehran may seek to restrict or disrupt shipping linked to countries supporting the ongoing US- and Israeli-led military operations against Iran. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, making any threat to navigation there a major concern for global energy markets.
The statement came as air and missile strikes in the region intensified. US and Israeli forces have continued bombing raids across Iran, targeting locations in cities including Tehran, Hamadan, and Isfahan. Iranian retaliatory attacks have also been reported against legitimate military targets in Israel, with damage recorded in several cities.
Tehran has previously threatened to block or disrupt the Strait of Hormuz during periods of heightened tension, though it has rarely acted directly on those threats due to the global economic consequences.
Meanwhile, divisions have emerged among Western allies over how to respond. European leaders have reportedly rejected demands by Donald Trump that they help ensure “freedom of navigation” through the strait as the conflict escalates. Some European governments have expressed concern that deeper involvement could widen the war.
The fighting is also spreading beyond Iran and Israel. The Israeli military said its forces have begun ground operations in southern Lebanon as clashes intensify with the armed group Hezbollah.
Analysts warn that the simultaneous escalation in Iran, Israel, and Lebanon risks drawing more regional actors into the conflict. If tensions around the Strait of Hormuz worsen, the impact could extend far beyond the battlefield, potentially disrupting global oil supplies and sending energy prices sharply higher.
