Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the Strait of Hormuz has become one of Tehran’s “most important deterrent tools”, warning that the strategic waterway will not return to its pre-war status.

The strait is a crucial maritime route, through which 20 percent of global oil and natural gas is shipped in peacetime.

Despite Iran’s announcement of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the United States says the strategic waterway remains open to shipping. As military tensions persist, Washington…