CNN reported on Tuesday, June 16, that U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Iran can effectively block access to the Strait of Hormuz whenever it chooses. According to these sources, this capability has granted Tehran a new lever of pressure over the global economy.
According to the report, although a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the U.S. to fully reopen the waterway and initiate nuclear negotiations is scheduled to be officially signed this Friday, U.S. intelligence assessments show that Iran successfully demonstrated its ability to block the Strait during the recent conflict and could potentially employ this tool again in the future.
“We have now effectively ceded control of the Strait to Iran - a tool more powerful than any nuclear weapon,” an informed source told CNN. The source added that the recent war has fundamentally altered Tehran’s perspective on utilizing this leverage.
The report also states that Iran has realized it can employ targeted attacks against the energy infrastructure of Gulf nations as an asymmetric tool. According to one source, this has also added to Tehran’s future leverage.
CNN quoted a senior U.S. official who stated that Iran will only reap the benefits of the agreement if the Strait of Hormuz remains open and Tehran adheres to its other commitments. The official explained that the United States will ease its naval blockade in proportion to the return of maritime traffic.
