How crucial is the Strait of Hormuz to global oil supplies?

霍尔木兹海峡对全球石油供应的重要性有多大?

The Inquiry

2025-06-26

22 分钟
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The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important energy corridors in the world. It is the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, it serves as the primary maritime route for oil exports from the Gulf. Any disruption to traffic through the strait would have implications for oil markets and regional stability. While some Gulf states have developed pipelines to bypass the strait, the volume of oil transported by sea is far greater, and for many countries, including key Gulf exporters, the waterway is essential to maintaining trade. China is the largest buyer of oil that travels through the strait, making it particularly exposed to any disruption. Iran itself relies on the Strait of Hormuz to sell its oil and any blockage of the route would likely damage Iran’s own economy and could strain relationships with regional neighbours. Despite past threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway has remained open, including during the tanker wars of the 1980s, but any disruption could have a big impact on global oil supplies. Picture Credit: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images Contributors: Camille Lons, Deputy Head of the Paris office of the Council on Foreign relations Elisabeth Braw, Senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Jacob P. Larsen, BIMCO’s Chief Safety & Security Officer Petter Haugen, Partner, Equity Research Shipping, ABG Sundal Collier, Nordic Investment Bank Presenter Charmaine Cozier Producer Louise Clarke Researcher Maeve Schaffer Editor Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator - Tammy Snow
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  • Welcome to The Inquiry. I'm Charmaine Kosia.

  • Each week, one question, four expert witnesses and an answer.

  • June 2025, Istanbul, Turkey.

  • Just hours after bombs hit three nuclear sites in Iran,

  • the country's foreign minister, Abbas Arachi, holds a media conference.

  • He responds to those US airstrikes.

  • and the escalation of Iran's latest conflict with Israel.

  • They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities.

  • He also takes questions on how Iran might strike back.

  • The Strait of Hormuz is a shipping route

  • for moving crude oil from major Middle East producers to the rest of the world.

  • One reporter asked if Iran is considering closing it.

  • Abbas Arachi replies.

  • There are a variety of options available to us.

  • The decision to close it rests with the country's Supreme National Security Council,

  • after final approval from the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

  • So this week we're asking, how crucial is the Strait of Hormuz to global oil supplies?

  • This programme was recorded on the 25th of June.

  • So the Strait of Hormuz,

  • this is a very important and probably one of the most important and used waterways in the world.