TEHRAN- A member of Iran Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors, referring to recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz, states that the recent war revealed two important realities about this strategic waterway: first, its unparalleled importance in the global energy market and economy, and second, Iran's capability to manage and control traffic in this route.

He suggests that this situation, alongside its security dimensions, could also create an opportunity to establish a sustainable source of income for Iran.

In an interview with IRNA, Keyvan Kashfi discussed the impact of traffic management in the Strait of Hormuz during the recent war, stating: Iran has consistently emphasized that it has a policy of purposeful traffic management in the Strait of Hormuz and has not closed the waterway. This approach has been largely effective to date, a month into the conflict, and has contributed to Iran's deterrent power.

He added: The war that took place, particularly concerning the Strait of Hormuz, clarified two important issues—issues that the world may not have been fully aware of before, and which even Iran itself had not experienced practically, as this situation had never been tested under such conditions previously.

Kashfi continued: The first issue is the extremely important geopolitical position of the Strait of Hormuz. This strait has been open for many years, and Iran has always permitted transit through it. In practice, there were no specific restrictions, traffic flowed smoothly, and the world was accustomed to this situation. However, this war brought the serious discussion of closing the strait to the fore for the first time. It was then that the world realized just how significant this strait could be for the energy sector and economy of various countries, from regional nations to even the United States.

The member of Iran Chamber of Commerce's Board explained: If we look today, we see that despite a month having passed since the war began, gasoline prices inside Iran have remained almost unchanged. However, in the United States, gasoline prices have increased by about $1.20 per gallon.

He added: This demonstrates the impact the situation in the Strait of Hormuz can have on the U.S. energy market. In fact, closing this strait can have such a direct effect on the global energy market—an aspect that received less attention before this war. For this reason, it can be said that one of the weaknesses of Trump's policies in this matter was precisely this sensitivity regarding the position and importance of the Strait of Hormuz.

He added: The second point, which seems to have somewhat surprised the United States, was Iran's capability to close and control the strait—meaning Iran's ability to shut the strait in this manner and manage when and which ships could pass. If this situation escalates into a ground confrontation, it would imply greater casualties and increased complexity, and the consequences are uncertain.

Kashfi continued: Therefore, the fact that Iran was able to exercise such management over the strait was something that surprised many countries.

Furthermore, the issue is not limited to energy. If you look at global fertilizer prices today, you'll see they have roughly tripled. This is because a significant portion of these exports passes through this strait, and the Persian Gulf countries and Iran are major producers in this sector. Consequently, this issue even affects agricultural production and the food supply chain, as this chain is completely interconnected.

EF