The Iranian Parliament approved a proposal to close the Strait of Hormuz following a United States (US) attack on Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
"Parliament has concluded that the Strait of Hormuz must be closed," said Major General Esmaeli Kowsari, a member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission, as reported by Iran Press TV, citing Antara (June 23, 2025).
"The final decision on this matter will be determined by the Supreme National Security Council," he added.
The Strait of Hormuz is a shipping lane that passes through Iranian territory. Iran is currently at war with Israel and the US.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Strait of Hormuz plays a crucial role in global oil trade.
"Large volumes of oil flow through the strait, and very few alternative options exist to move oil out of the strait if it is closed," the EIA stated in its report, Amid regional conflict, the Strait of Hormuz remains critical oil chokepoint (June 16, 2025).
"The inability of oil to transit a major chokepoint, even temporarily, can create substantial supply delays and raise shipping costs, potentially increasing world energy prices," they stated.
According to EIA data, in the first quarter of 2025, the volume of oil supplied through the Strait of Hormuz reached 20.1 million barrels per day (a combination of crude oil, condensate, and oil products).
This figure represents 19.69%, or approximately one-fifth, of total global oil consumption.
In the first quarter of 2025, Saudi Arabia was the largest exporter of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, with a volume of 5.29 million barrels per day (crude oil and condensate combined, excluding oil products).
During the period 2020-2024, Saudi Arabia consistently remained the largest oil exporter through this route. This means that if the Strait of Hormuz were closed, they would be the most significantly impacted.
The Strait of Hormuz is also heavily used to transport oil from Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kuwait, and Qatar—major oil-producing countries in the Middle East.
Oil shipments from other countries through the strait are minimal, as shown in the graph.