Iran's parliament approves closure of Strait of Hormuz after US strikes

Amid escalating tensions with the United States and Israel, Iran’s parliament has approved a measure to close the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz in response to recent U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, state-run Press TV reported on Sunday.

The decision is not yet final, as the country’s Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s top security authority, is required to finalise the decision

The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbors, is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Around 20% of the global oil and gas supply — including shipments from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Qatar, and Iran — transits this narrow channel daily. At just 33 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, with shipping lanes only 3 kilometers wide in each direction, the strait is particularly vulnerable to disruption.

The parliamentary move comes after American warplanes reportedly struck three Iranian nuclear sites, including the Fordow uranium enrichment facility buried deep within a mountain near Qom.

Major General Kowsari, a member of the parliament’s National Security Committee, told state media that while the parliament has reached a consensus in favor of closing the strait, the final decision rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the country’s highest security authority.