Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, traffic falls to 6% of normal as demands mount

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow corridor through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply normally flows, is effectively closed. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei confirmed the closure will remain in place until the United States changes its behavior and fulfills specific commitments demanded by Tehran. The shutdown, which began February 28, 2026, following U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iranian positions, has now stretched into its sixth month with no credible resolution in sight. A chokepoint living up to its name Think of the Strait of Hormuz as the world’s most consequential single-lane road. When it works, roughly 74 ships pass through daily. As of August 22, 2026, that number has collapsed to just four. That is traffic running at approximately 6% of pre-crisis levels. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been the enforcement arm of the closure, requiring vessels to submit to vetting and approval processes before any transit is considered. The United States disputes Iran’s characterization of total control, maintaining that limited passages remain possible under American naval oversight. Mohsen Rezaei, appointed SNSC secretary...