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US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has conveyed it is in a “state of collapse” and is seeking immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The remarks, made in a characteristically informal tone, come amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty in the Gulf region. While there has been no official confirmation from Tehran on such a request, the statement has drawn attention to Iran’s long-standing strategic posture on the critical maritime corridor.

Iran’s long-held leverage

Iran has historically treated the Strait of Hormuz as a key pressure point in its regional and global strategy. The narrow passage, through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply flows, has repeatedly been invoked by Iranian officials as a potential chokepoint in response to Western sanctions or military threats.

Tehran’s position has been consistent: while it does not seek to disrupt global trade under normal circumstances, it reserves the right to control or restrict access if its own economic lifelines are threatened. Iranian military exercises in the region, including naval drills and tanker seizures in past years, have reinforced this stance.

At the same time, Iran has also signalled that complete closure of the strait would be a last-resort measure, given the severe economic and diplomatic fallout such a move would trigger-not least for Iran itself, which relies on the same route for exports.

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Strategic Uncertainty Deepens

Trump’s remarks suggesting a leadership vacuum in Iran remain unverified, but they add to the narrative of instability at a time when tensions in the Gulf are already elevated. Analysts note that any disruption, real or perceived, in Hormuz immediately impacts global energy markets, insurance costs, and shipping routes.

Despite the rhetoric, maritime traffic through the strait has continued, albeit with heightened caution and occasional tracking anomalies.

A ship fully loaded with LNG has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, tracking data shows.

According to data from the marine tracking firm Kpler and analysed by the AFP news agency, the LNG carrier Mubaraz, operated by the Emirati national oil company ADNOC, was loaded with 132,890 cubic metres (4.7 million cubic feet) of LNG at Das Island in the UAE on March 2.

However, the vessel had switched off its AIS transponder at the end of March for a month, before transmitting again off the coast of India.

ADNOC has not commented on the report that one of its vessels crossed the strait.

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