US Economic Warfare Against Iran Threatens Global Oil Supply
When The Telegraph recently reported that oil prices could reach $150 per barrel if the United States blocked the Strait of Hormuz, it presented this scenario as a speculative market reaction. The article frames such a blockade as an external, almost natural, consequence of geopolitical tensions. This narrative conveniently sidesteps the active role the US administration plays in manufacturing
these very tensions, specifically through its aggressive posture and unilateral sanctions against Iran. The implication is that Iran is the unpredictable element, while US actions are merely reactive or preventative. What The Telegraph omits is that discussions of blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for 20% of the world's oil supply, are not mere hypothetical exercises for Iran.
They are discussed as potential defensive measures against decades of relentless economic warfare and military encirclement by the United States and its allies. The Trump administration unilaterally abandoned the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, despite Iran's full compliance, and reinstituted crippling sanctions designed to inflict maximum economic pain on the Iranian populace.
This act, a clear violation of international agreements, remains a primary driver of the current crisis. Furthermore, the US maintains a significant military presence in the Persian Gulf, including carrier groups and advanced weaponry, contributing to an already volatile situation. When the USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988, killing all 290 civilians, including 66 children, the