Iran’s Parliament, the Majlis, voted on Sunday, June 22, to approve a proposal to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route, in response to U.S. airstrikes targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, June 21.
The decision, reported by state-run Press TV, awaits final approval from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, chaired by an appointee of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The move threatens to disrupt nearly 20% of global oil trade, escalating tensions following the U.S. operation dubbed “Midnight Hammer.”
The U.S. strikes hit nuclear sites in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, with President Donald Trump claiming the attacks “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, per Reuters. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, condemned the strikes as “criminal” and warned of “everlasting consequences,” reserving all options for retaliation, including potential attacks on U.S. regional bases, per Sky News. The Strait of Hormuz, a 33-km-wide chokepoint between Iran and Oman, handles about 20 million barrels of crude oil daily, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A closure could spike oil prices by 30-50%, with gas prices potentially rising by $5 per gallon, experts told Newsweek.
Iran’s parliament acted after the U.S. deployed six B-2 bombers and Navy submarines, firing 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles and 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs, per The New York Times. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Rafael Grossi reported “very significant damage” at Isfahan and Natanz, with Natanz’s underground facility “completely destroyed,” per Sky News. Iran’s health ministry claimed no radioactive contamination among the injured, per CNN. The vote reflects Iran’s historical use of the strait as leverage, as seen during the 1980s Tanker Wars, though full closure has never been executed, per News18. India, importing 2 million barrels daily through the strait, has diversified suppliers like Russia, mitigating potential impacts, per BusinessToday.