Iran’s parliament voted on Sunday to approve a motion calling for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor for global oil shipments, following US airstrikes that targeted key Iranian nuclear facilities overnight, Iran’s Press TV said on Sunday.

The Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz after the parliament approved the measure.

The vote, described as symbolic but politically significant, reflects growing pressure on the Iranian leadership to retaliate after what officials in Tehran labelled a “blatant act of aggression” by the United States and its allies.

“The parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of authorising the closure of the Strait,” state news agencies reported, citing members of the Majlis. The measure is now pending review by the Supreme National Security Council, the country’s highest body for defence and security decisions, which has the final authority to enforce such action.

The move comes less than 24 hours after a series of coordinated US airstrikes damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is the transit point for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply. Any disruption could have far-reaching implications for global energy markets, especially for major importers such as China, India, and European nations.

Global oil prices climbed sharply on Sunday afternoon in anticipation of heightened instability in the region. Brent crude futures rose by more than 9 percent, touching levels not seen since late 2022.

Iranian officials insisted the vote does not constitute an immediate closure, but rather authorises such action as part of a broader defensive posture.

“One of Iran’s clear options in response to foreign aggression is closing the Strait of Hormuz,” said Mohammad Hassan Asfari, a member of the parliament’s national security committee. “We will act when the time is right.”

In Washington, the White House declined to comment directly on the parliamentary vote, but a senior administration official said the US was “monitoring the situation closely” and had “taken steps to ensure the continued free flow of commerce in the region.”

Source: Gulf News