Iran considers closing Strait of Hormuz amid escalating conflict with Israel
Tehran/Doha: Amid intensifying hostilities with Israel, Iran is reportedly considering the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global oil supplies. The development was reported by Iranian state broadcaster IRINN and highlighted in a detailed Al Jazeera explainer published on Saturday, citing Iranian lawmaker and former IRGC commander Esmail Kosari.
Kosari’s remarks come in the wake of Israel’s widespread airstrikes across Iran on June 13, which targeted military installations, residential buildings, and key nuclear facilities. The strikes reportedly killed at least 78 people, including Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Shamkhani. In retaliation, Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel early Saturday, causing fatalities and widespread alarm.
According to Al Jazeera, Kosari claimed Tehran may invoke closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea corridor bordered by Iran, Oman, and the UAE that links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Often referred to as the “world’s most important oil transit chokepoint,” the strait handles roughly 20% of global petroleum shipments.
Despite being 33 km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point, the actual shipping lanes within the strait are considerably narrower, making them especially vulnerable to military threats. Any disruption could trigger a global oil shock, significantly raising energy prices even in countries not directly reliant on Gulf oil exports.
Al Jazeera noted that while threats to the strait have been made in the past, including during the 1980–88 Iran-Iraq War and again in 2019 amid US-Iran tensions, Hormuz has never been fully closed. However, the stakes now appear higher. A closure would not only choke regional economies but also risk drawing direct military retaliation from the United States, which maintains significant naval forces in the area.
Although Washington assisted Israel in intercepting Iranian missiles, US officials have clarified that the United States was not involved in Israel’s initial attack and has refrained from any direct military engagement with Iran. Iran, in turn, has not targeted US assets in the region, a sign, analysts say, that Tehran may be wary of escalating the conflict into a wider war.
Still, Kosari’s threat is being seen as a signal of the options Tehran may consider as tensions rise. Al Jazeera emphasised that the potential closure of Hormuz remains one of Iran’s most powerful strategic tools in response to external pressure, one that could have cascading effects on global trade, energy markets, and geopolitical stability.
The report also drew parallels to the Houthis’ ongoing attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. While ships in that region have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid conflict zones, no such alternative exists for maritime traffic leaving the Gulf.
As of now, the threat remains rhetorical, but the prospect of closing Hormuz adds a dangerous new dimension to the unfolding Iran-Israel crisis, and places global energy security on high alert.
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Women''s Bill: Stalin says proposal amid polls raises suspicion; backs 33 per cent reservation
Chennai (PTI): Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday alleged that the proposed amendment to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in the midst of polls in states including Tamil Nadu appeared to be yet another political manoeuvre aimed at shaping electoral narratives.
Stalin alleged the timing for the proposed amendment led to serious suspicion.
"Why push such a far-reaching decision in the middle of state elections. This appears to be yet another political manoeuvre aimed at shaping electoral narratives, much like earlier attempts to influence women voters ahead of the 2024 Parliament elections," he alleged in a statement titled "This is not reform, this is reengineering power."
Further, he said: "Let me be unequivocal: we strongly support 33 per cent reservation for women. Our support is absolute. But it must be implemented without increasing seats and without punishing states that acted responsibly. If the intent is genuine, nothing prevents immediate implementation within the existing framework."
Demanding fair delimitation, he alleged there was complete opacity on the basis for delimitation and asked would the exercise rely on 1971 figures from a pre–population control era or the 2021 Census. "Conflicting signals and vague assurances only deepen suspicion." This move would also impose a massive financial burden on states, forcing them to expand or rebuild Legislative Assemblies, all without proper consultation.
"This is a direct assault on cooperative federalism. This is not reform, it is a unilateral, politically driven exercise designed to concentrate power, weaken Parliament, marginalise the South, and undermine social justice," he alleged. "The nation deserves answers: why this undue haste, why shift the goalposts, and who truly stands to benefit."
The NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is systematically eroding the very foundations of Parliament, he alleged.
The Dravidian party chief claimed: "What should be a vibrant forum for debate and accountability is being reduced to a hollow ritual, a stage where members may not even get fair time to speak or represent their people. This proposal to increase seats is a direct contradiction of their own slogan of minimum government, maximum governance. It will only inflate expenditure, burden taxpayers, and dilute the quality of parliamentary functioning."
This also went against the spirit of Article 1 of the Constitution, which defines India as a Union of States. Ignoring the voices of states and bypassing meaningful consultation is not democratic - it is unitary overreach that undermines the country's federal and plural character.
More alarmingly, this exercise will blatantly skew representation and tilt the balance of power in favour of northern states dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party, while silencing the voice of south India, he claimed.
"As forcefully pointed out by veteran leader Siddaramaiah (Karnataka CM), this is not a neutral exercise; it is a calculated political restructuring. Northern states stand to gain nearly double the (Parliamentary) seats, while the South’s share stagnates at around 24 per cent. This is nothing short of penalising states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Keralam and Telangana for their success in population control."
Chief Ministers across the South, including Siddaramaiah, Pinarayi Vijayan and A Revanth Reddy have rightly warned that this move will distort federalism and concentrate power in a few regions, the DMK president alleged.
PM Modi said on Thursday that the proposed amendments to the Women Reservation Act are not just a legislative exercise but a reflection of the aspirations of crores of women across India and urged all MPs to come together to support this significant move.
He had last week announced an extension of the Budget session of Parliament by three days, from April 16 to 18, so that the Women's Reservation Act can be amended for its implementation from 2029.
