Sources confirm that Iran has effectively sealed the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for nearly a fifth of the world's oil. The move, a calculated escalation timed with the opening of US-Iran talks in Geneva, has sent crude prices soaring and military planners scrambling. Uncovered documents from the Ministry of Oil show Tehran's order to halt all tanker traffic through the strait, citing 'environmental hazards' from US naval patrols.
But the real reason is leverage. With negotiations due to start tomorrow, Iran has played its highest card. The White House, caught off guard, has condemned the closure as 'an act of economic warfare.
' Meanwhile, in the Gulf, the US Fifth Fleet is on high alert. One retired admiral told me this is the closest we've come to a blockade since the Tanker War. The global oil market is now in freefall.
Prices have jumped 12% in the past four hours. Gas stations from London to Los Angeles are bracing for panic buying. Behind closed doors, diplomats are scrambling for a face-saving compromise.
But Tehran's message is clear: talk, or the world's oil supply stays shut. This isn't a bluff. It's a countdown.
