Iran is keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed six months into its war with Israel and the United States, sustaining one of the conflict's biggest threats to global oil and gas supply. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has urged Gulf rulers to unite against a shared "real enemy," even as Tehran's own strikes on U.S. military sites in the Gulf complicate that appeal. Iraq has offered to broker talks between Tehran and Washington as U.S. sanctions pressure intensifies.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it remains firmly in control of the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting U.S. statements about shipping access and accusing Washington of trying to influence energy prices. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran is in no hurry to reopen the waterway, a critical route for crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports from the Gulf.
Khamenei urges Gulf unity against a shared enemy
In a written message published on Telegram for Islamic Unity Week, Khamenei called on Muslim countries, particularly Gulf states, to strengthen cooperation and mutual defence, arguing that divisions among Muslim nations benefited their adversaries. According to Reuters: "identify your real enemy, understand his plan and confront it," he told regional rulers.
The message follows a similar appeal Khamenei made to Iranians on Friday, when he urged authorities to avoid statements that could weaken public morale. He has not appeared publicly since being injured in the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes six months ago that opened the conflict and killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei.
Tehran's own strikes complicate the appeal
Iran has struck U.S. military facilities and other infrastructure in Gulf states during the war, complicating any effort to build the regional cohesion Khamenei is asking for. The closed strait remains one of the conflict's biggest risks to global energy markets, since Hormuz is a critical route for crude and liquefied natural gas exports from the Gulf.
Iraq offers to bridge Tehran and Washington
Diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a breakthrough. Iraq has offered to act as a bridge between Tehran and Washington, as the Trump administration steps up economic pressure on Iran. Tehran is now roughly six months into the conflict, facing intensified U.S. sanctions alongside continuing military and economic pressure.
Source: Investing.com
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