Iran’s first move through the Strait of Hormuz looked hard, deliberate, and politically selective. After the late February strikes, Iran signaled that some countries could still move through the waterway. Reuters reported on March 27 that Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi named friendly nations, including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan. That message suggested Iran was dividing passage by politics, pressure, and wartime interest. At that stage, the Strait of Hormuz looked less like an open trade route and more like a channel Iran would manage on its own terms. Yet the policy did not remain that narrow for long. Within...
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