MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. Washington and Tehran seek to gain leverage over control of the Strait of Hormuz, and experts assess the new US sanctions bill on Russia. Meanwhile, Russia and the United States agree to conclude their International Space Station project in late 2030. These stories topped Wednesday's headlines in Russia.
Izvestia: US, Iran seek to leverage control of Hormuz
Even as US President Donald Trump reversed his idea to charge a 20% fee on cargo shipping through the Strait of Hormuz on July 14, this major global waterway will be subject to tolls anyway in the near future, experts argue. Gulf exporters may face either indirect expenses if the US leader imposes any investment agreements on them, or direct costs if Iran and Oman introduce a toll. In a situation where navigation through the Strait has almost stopped, Arab monarchies are actively building alternative routes, but those will require billions of dollars in investment and time.
A disrupted ceasefire between Iran and the United States has caused a new wave of escalation in the Middle East. Trump sent a formal notice to Congress that the Iran conflict has resumed on Monday, and the two sides have exchanged strikes. The Americans are mostly targeting Iranian ports, while the IRGC has been attacking US infrastructure in the region, including military bases, air defense systems, early warning facilities, and fuel infrastructure in Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.
