Strait of Hormuz to work as leverage to compel US to honor MoU commitments
By Amir Dabiri Mehr
Political science researcher
Following the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the continuation of sporadic clashes between Iran and the United States, the mutual targeting of oil tankers, and the impact of this crisis on the global economy, many international observers, while expressing concern over the persistence of this trend, are also worried about its further escalation in the future.
Recent reciprocal attacks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen, as well as Israel’s renewed aggression against Lebanon, are signs that the tension between Tehran and Washington has not only affected the global economy but has also spread the level of military confrontation and insecurity to other parts of the Middle East. If this issue remains unresolved, the tension could take on even wider dimensions.
The formation of the Mecca Pact among Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia is a joint regional measure and alliance aimed at creating deterrence against the potential dangers of this regional insecurity.
US President Donald Trump has recently said that the war with Iran will end after the congressional elections in November — that is, around two months from now — also indicate that the likelihood of military escalation in the coming days is high, especially given reports that the United States is studying and preparing to implement a plan to attack the nuclear facilities at Mount Kolang, also known as Pickaxe Mountain.
The referral of Iran’s nuclear file from the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to the United Nations Security Council is seen as paving the way for a possible US military action.
A reliable source close to the military forces of the Islamic Republic says: “In response to a possible attack on the nuclear facilities at Mount Kolang and the further intensification of economic pressure in the coming weeks, Iran intends to adopt aggressive behavior and escalate military tension. Evidence of this can be seen in the attacks on US military bases in Jordan, which have inflicted significant damage.” The remarks of Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), regarding Iran’s intention to define a new restricted zone for American ships in the Persian Gulf, amount to the declaration of a new battlefield with the United States.
Alongside this concerning outlook in the region, inside Iran many people who are enduring difficult economic conditions and witnessing the continuous depreciation of the national currency, unprecedented rises in commodity prices, and shortages of medicine are asking one another how long this tension will continue and whether keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed — and America’s reciprocal insistence on a naval blockade — is worth the increasing economic pressure on Iran.
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