TEHRAN- An economic expert, referring to Iran's warning to the United States that the Strait of Hormuz would be completely closed if its power plants are attacked, said: "The moment a physical oil shortage occurs, the real effects of Iran's actions will become apparent on the ground, and what we are witnessing now is only the beginning of this situation."

Majid Shakeri, speaking to IRNA, commented on recent threats by U.S. President Trump to attack Iran's power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, as well as Iran's response to these threats. He stated: "Iran's approach to managing ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been effective since the beginning of the aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, because it has effectively placed this war within a time constraint. This means that the opposing side cannot resolve a physical oil shortage—regardless of what games they play in the futures market—simply by intervening in financial markets or through monetary intervention."

He continued: "There is a phrase being discussed a lot in the West these days: central banks cannot produce oil molecules. For this reason, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz effectively sets the time ceiling for the war. In such a situation, our military deterrence—including missiles, drones, and defense systems—plays a role in creating a balance of terror, but what truly determines the outcome is time."

The economic expert added: "From the moment the strait is closed until the last oil reserves afloat are used up, there is a limited time window. Over the past three weeks, even the most distant countries dependent on oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz, such as Japan and South Korea, have been forced to think about this situation. This has led the opposing side to suddenly shift toward stabilization policies—similar to what it previously did in the gas sector and is now doing in the electricity sector."

MA