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Conflict coverage · Iran–Gulf

Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz closed to normal commercial traffic

28 Feb 2026Key eventEssentialhormuz-strait

MaritimeEnergy

Iranian forces declare the strait closed and cross-strait traffic largely halts. Around 20 million barrels a day of crude and petroleum products moved through it in the 2025 baseline, together with close to a fifth of world LNG exports.

Why it mattersThe declaration changed the legal and political contest over the strait. What actually stopped commercial traffic over the following week was the withdrawal of war-risk cover, which is why this module keeps legal, physical and commercial access as three separate questions.
Confidence: HighSources: Congressional Research Service — Iran, the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz · IEA electricity and energy-security analysisMethodologyCorrections

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