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What if Iran Closes the Hormuz Strait?

© AP PhotoIn this picture released by the official website of the Iranian Army on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, helicopters arrive at coast in an annual drill in the coastal area of the Gulf of Oman and near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In this picture released by the official website of the Iranian Army on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, helicopters arrive at coast in an annual drill in the coastal area of the Gulf of Oman and near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 16.06.2025
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With the Israel-Iranian conflict in full swing, oil producers and oil consumers alike are wondering: could Iran resort to shutting down maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and if so, how it might affect oil prices?
Oil could hit $130 per barrel, or even $300, if Iran does close the strait, warns Dr. Tilak Doshi from the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center.
It is very likely that such high prices would not be “favored by the US administration, and they will try to arrive at a resolution of the war as soon as possible,” he notes.
“Historically, in 2008, oil prices briefly reached $147 per barrel without any major geopolitical conflict, driven solely by financial speculation and tight supply-demand dynamics,” muses energy economist Dr. Kazi Sohag.
“During the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, triggered by the Yom Kippur War, oil prices increased by 300%, demonstrating how quickly markets can react to political shocks,” he adds.
An Iranian flag flutters in front of the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, just outside the southern city of Bushehr, Iran, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010. - Sputnik International, 1920, 15.06.2025
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Even without the strait's closure, targeting Iran’s oil export and refining facilities could push prices to $80 or even $90, predicts Marc Ayoub, energy policy researcher.
“If things continue like they are currently, we would stay on the same norm, and we might reach a level or a ceiling of $80 per barrel maximum,” he elaborates.
“And also, if Israeli Kareesh or Leviathan are targeted as well, we might see increases for up to $5, between $5 and $10. That means we might reach... $90 or something.”
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