Iran’s armed forces take control of Strait of Hormuz, lawmaker says

An Iranian lawmaker has declared that the country’s armed forces have taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne crude oil passes every day. The announcement signals a dramatic escalation in Tehran’s bid to leverage its geographic position amid an ongoing conflict with the United States. The strait would be divided between Iran and Oman under a new arrangement the two nations are finalizing. Iranian legislators are pushing companion legislation that would grant the armed forces “comprehensive and full control” over the waterway, a move US analysts say represents a significant departure from established international maritime norms. The deal taking shape Iran and Oman have been negotiating new shipping lanes through the strait, with both sides settling on specific geographic coordinates for inbound and outbound traffic. The proposed system would route inbound vessels through lanes favoring Iranian territorial waters, while outbound traffic would flow through Oman’s side. The arrangement is still being formalized, but key figures within Iran’s parliament have asserted that conditions in the ...