Energy Secretary says U.S. has ended Iran’s ability to close Hormuz
U.S. provision of military escort for commercial ships ends Iran’s future ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday.
“Iran will not have the ability to close the Strait of Hormuz in the future,” Wright said at a conference in New York. “That’s their main trump card, and we’re taking that trump card away from them.”
The energy minister said 17 million barrels of oil passed through Hormuz after Iran announced it was closing the strait again over the weekend. Wright said that the US Navy prevented Iran from interfering with commercial ships along Omani territorial waters in the southern part of the strait.
He said that 72 ships loaded with 19 million barrels of oil passed through Hormuz in the last 24 hours. Commercial intelligence firm Kpler confirmed that approximately 4.8 million barrels per day have been leaving the strait since the United States and Iran agreed to open the sea route last week.
Wright said the United States could reimpose the naval blockade if Iran does not meet Washington’s demands. He added that the Trump administration will ensure that the world is well supplied with energy.
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“If we can’t reach a deal with Iran, we’re going to make sure the energy flows there, the world is well fed, and the Iranian government is unscathed,” Wright said.
Wright noted that the US waiver of sanctions on Iran’s oil sales for 60 days is not a big gain for the Islamic Republic. He said the Trump administration has not yet sent any money to Tehran.
“We haven’t frozen any funds, they don’t have anything meaningful yet,” Wright said at the event hosted by Reuters. “They can take meaningful things from us, but they need to provide meaningful gains for us and security for the world.”
Iran began attacking commercial ships in Hormuz after the US and Israel’s massive wave of air strikes on Hormuz on February 28.
As a result, ship traffic in the strait decreased and the largest oil supply disruption in history was triggered. Before the war, approximately 20% of the world’s supply passed through Hormuz.
Within the scope of the agreement signed with the USA last week, Iran agreed to allow ships to pass through Hormuz without paying a transit fee or for 60 days. Washington lifted the naval blockade of Iran.
It is unclear how Hormuz will be governed after the 60-day period. Under the terms of the agreement, Iran is expected to discuss the management of the strait with Oman and its neighbors in the Gulf.
