Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz is an international crisis

Mar 25, 2026 · 1119 words · By Ahmed Essa Al-Sulaiti

📰 Original article: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2026/3/25/irans-closure-of-the-strait-of-horm…

Analysis Summary

Propaganda Score: 40% (confidence: 90%)

Fact-Check Results

“For more than two weeks now, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted. Several vessels have been attacked, and many others have been stuck on the two ends of the strait, unwilling to take the risk of passing through.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to confirm or refute claims about maritime traffic disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz

“The strait is the principal gateway for several Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to global markets. About 20 percent of the world’s petroleum and nearly a fifth of global liquified natural gas (LNG) flows pass through it.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to verify the 20% petroleum/LNG figures for the Strait of Hormuz

“Iraq, the world’s sixth-largest oil producer, has had to cut production of oil in the oil-rich region of Basra by 70 percent, from 3.3 million barrels per day (bpd) to 900,000bpd, as the majority of its exports pass through the strait.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to confirm Iraq's production cuts related to Strait of Hormuz

“Saudi Arabia, the world’s second biggest oil producer, had to shut the Ras Tanura refinery, its largest facility, which processes 550,000bpd.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to verify Saudi Arabia's refinery shutdown connection to Strait disruptions

“The UAE has also had to close down its largest refinery and reroute oil through pipelines, instead of exporting through the Gulf.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to confirm UAE refinery closures or rerouting claims

“As a result of these disruptions, oil prices have soared to nearly $120 per barrel.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to verify oil price increases linked to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

“Qatar, the world’s second-largest LNG exporter, has had to shut down production. UAE’s gas production has experienced disruption, as well.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to confirm LNG production disruptions for Qatar and UAE

“Qatar and the UAE account for 30 percent of China’s LNG imports, 53 percent of India’s, 72 percent of Bangladesh’s and 14 percent of South Korea’s.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to verify LNG import percentages for China/India/Bangladesh/South Korea

“British wholesale gas prices have more than doubled, while the price of gas on the Dutch market has risen by 24 percent. Benchmark Asian LNG prices jumped almost 39 percent in early March.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to confirm gas price increases attributed to Strait of Hormuz

“The legal regime governing navigation through international straits is set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982. Under Article 38, ships and aircraft enjoy the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to verify UNCLOS Article 38 claims about transit passage rights

“The International Court of Justice held that states enjoy a right of innocent passage through straits used for international navigation between two parts of the high seas, even without a treaty regime.”

❓ PENDING

“The 1994 San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea stipulates that neutral vessels may continue to transit international straits used for international navigation.”

❓ PENDING

“The Draft Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts provide that a breach of an international obligation attributable to a state engages its responsibility.”

❓ PENDING

“Iran’s threat to obstruct navigation or target commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz could breach its international obligations and constitute a wrongful act.”

❓ PENDING

“GCC states should accelerate efforts to diversify export routes. Options include building pipeline infrastructure within the GCC that can bypass the Strait of Hormuz by linking energy producers directly to the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea.”

❓ PENDING

“The Gulf Cooperation Council Vision for Regional Security adopted at the 158th session held in December 2023 in Doha should be implemented to protect oil and gas fields.”

❓ PENDING