Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz again amid war talks
Iran’s military has again declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, only hours after briefly reopening the vital waterway to commercial traffic. The move has renewed uncertainty over efforts to reach a peace deal in the ongoing US Israeli war with Iran. Tehran announced on Friday that the strait which normally carries about one fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments was open following a ceasefire in Lebanon that paused Israel’s war with Hezbollah. That decision sent oil prices sharply lower and raised hopes of easing tensions. However, Iran warned it would shut the strait again as long as the United States maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports. On Saturday, state TV quoted the country’s military central command as saying control of the strait had returned to its previous status and was under strict management by the armed […]