The Hormuz Blockade: From Iranian Provocation to US Strategic Blunder
This opinion piece analyzes the escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, attributing the deterioration to former US President Donald Trump's decision to engage in an illegal war alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The author argues that Tehran has leveraged control of the strait as a powerful negotiating asset after failing to achieve military victory. In response, Trump imposed a naval blockade to economically suffocate Iran, aiming to force surrender. However, the article contends this move is a strategic error lacking legal legitimacy, as it lacks UN Security Council mandate or legitimate defense justification. Consequently, key allies, including NATO members and the Gulf Cooperation Council, have refused to participate. European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer have postponed initiatives to guarantee freedom of navigation. The analysis suggests that while Iran's disruption of maritime traffic punishes the global economy, the US blockade fails to meet international legal standards and effectiveness criteria, potentially isolating Washington further rather than resolving the conflict.
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The Hormuz Blockade: From Iranian Provocation to US Strategic Blunder
This opinion piece analyzes the escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, attributing the deterioration to former US President Donald Trump's decision to engage in an illegal war alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The author argues that Tehran has leveraged control of the strait as a powerful negotiating asset after failing to achieve military victory. In response, Trump imposed a naval blockade to economically suffocate Iran, aiming to force surrender. However, the article contends this move is a strategic error lacking legal legitimacy, as it lacks UN Security Council mandate or legitimate defense justification. Consequently, key allies, including NATO members and the Gulf Cooperation Council, have refused to participate. European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer have postponed initiatives to guarantee freedom of navigation. The analysis suggests that while Iran's disruption of maritime traffic punishes the global economy, the US blockade fails to meet international legal standards and effectiveness criteria, potentially isolating Washington further rather than resolving the conflict.
elpais