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Iran shuts vital shipping route for first time in decades – here’s why

JD Vance says US is seeking Iran nuclear deal through diplomacy 'or another option'

Iran temporarily closed a section of the Strait of Hormuz for several hours, marking the first such closure since the 1980s, amidst heightened tensions with the US.
The closure was attributed to 'security precautions' during military drills conducted by Iran's Revolutionary Guard in the strategically vital waterway, through which approximately 20 per cent of the world's oil passes.
The move follows escalatory actions from both sides, including the US deploying two aircraft carriers to the Middle East and Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatening to sink them.
Despite the tensions, the US and Iran held talks regarding a potential nuclear deal, with Tehran's foreign minister stating that 'guiding principles' had been agreed upon.
Iran also announced upcoming joint naval drills with Russia in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, aimed at enhancing maritime security and countering terrorism.