Iran's parliament has voted to shut the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz in response to recent United States military attacks on its nuclear facilities, state television Press TV said on Sunday.
The move is not yet official. It would have to be endorsed by the Supreme National Security Council, the nation's top security body, before any action could be taken to seal off the waterway.
Parliamentary vote constitutes an escalation as tensions rise between Iran, the US and Israel. Local media reports state that recent American air attacks hit three Iranian nuclear facilities of high sensitivity, including the Fordow facility for enriching uranium, which is constructed deep within a mountain just outside the city of Qom.
The Strait of Hormuz has been generally regarded as one of the globe's most significant maritime choke points. About 20 percent of the world's supply of oil and gas transits the tight strait every day, including exports from regional powers like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran itself.
Narrowest, the strait measures only 33 kilometres at its broadest point, where shipping lanes narrowed to just 3 kilometres in either direction, making it extremely vulnerable to being disrupted.
Talking to state media, Iranian parliament member and senior lawmaker Major General Esmail Kowsari and member of the National Security Committee stated that there was "broad consensus" among the parliamentarians in support of the shutdown.
Yet, he confirmed that the final go-ahead would have to come from the Supreme National Security Council.
This act symbolizes the desire of our country to react strongly to acts of aggression. But its execution is up to our high-security decision-makers," Kowsari said.
Iran has made threats before to close the Strait of Hormuz to military or economic coercion, but has never done so. Closing it would likely trigger a robust international reaction, from the United States and Gulf allies especially, as the strait is so critical to global energy markets.
The US has not officially reacted to the parliamentary move, although observers have cautioned that the move could significantly increase the risk of wider regional conflict if Tehran goes ahead with the closure.
US-Iran tensions have continuously escalated over the past few months, with Washington blaming Tehran for revving up its nuclear program and supporting proxy forces that are engaged in regional wars.
Iran, in turn, has protested what it terms as "unlawful aggression" by the US and Israel directed at undermining its sovereignty.
As the closure is completed, sea traffic in and out of the strait — including oil tankers carrying crude and liquefied natural gas — would likely be severely disrupted, driving international energy prices up and upsetting crucial supply lines.
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