US claim to Strait of Hormuz
GeopoliticsComments
If those three countries have their own pact now, who actually handles the insurance and escort for the ships if the US claims the water? The paperwork for the crews would be a nightmare.
But wait... did the tanker traffic actually drop to zero for the entire day or just a specific window... wouldn't that be almost impossible for global energy markets to ignore?
This is just the Oman threat on steroids. He is trying to manufacture a crisis to force a deal before the MOU clock runs out.
The timing is critical because the 60 day memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran expires today, August 17. This removes the diplomatic buffer that previously constrained unilateral territorial claims in the strait.
The Kpler data supports the OP. Zero transits is a hard number that suggests a complete blockade rather than just a dip in volume.
The post misses the impact of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan. That creates a separate regional security layer that might conflict with a US territorial claim.