A prolonged disruption would place enormous pressure on global oil and gas markets, shipping companies and countries dependent on energy imports. Iranian officials have previously said that the Strait will not fully reopen until Washington changes what Tehran considers hostile policies. For Iran, controlling access to Hormuz provides a powerful instrument for putting pressure on Washington and its regional allies. Washington has repeatedly sought to pressure Tehran into accepting terms favourable to U.S. strategic interests. That leaves the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of a high-stakes confrontation in which diplomacy, military pressure and global energy security are increasingly intertwined.