One of main weapons that the Islamic Regime in Iran has is control of two of the world’s key maritime chokepoints: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait through its Houthi proxies in Yemen.

The straits are important for making it possible to export oil and gas out of the Middle East, with major producers such as Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar exporting nearly all their energy through seaborne energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil production has already halted in Iraq’s Basra region, with major fields like Rumaila shutting a down due to full storage tanks.

Saudi Arabia is trying to reroute some of its eastern crude to the Red Sea via the East-West Pipeline (Petroline) to ports like Yanbu.

Saudi Arabia currently produces around 10 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, with the vast majority from its eastern fields historically exported through the Persian Gulf, accounting for about 85% of its total exports.

The East-West Pipeline offers a bypass, with a capacity of approximately 5 million bpd.

However, actual export loading at Yanbu is more limited, historically not exceeding around 2–3 million bpd due to terminal infrastructure constraints.

This means only around 20% of Saudi Arabia’s eastern daily production can realistically be diverted westward in the short term,

Even this alternative route offers no true escape for Saudi Arabia.

Iran can direct its proxies, the Houthis in Yemen, to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.

Ships would be forced to detour around Africa through the Suez Canal and continuing via the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa to reach Asian markets.

The Suez Canal itself is not viable for the largest crude oil tankers anyway: Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), which dominate long-haul oil transport with capacities of 200,000–320,000 deadweight tons and can carry about 2 million barrels, exceed the Suezmax limit of roughly 120,000–200,000 DWT.

As long as Iran can controls these two straits, they can hold the global economy hostage.

Iran’s maritime threats and attacks drive up insurance premiums, halt shipments, delay supplies and spike fuel prices worldwide.

The regime in Tehran can’t be allowed to hold the world hostage with maritime blackmail today or nuclear extortion tomorrow.

For the sake of global stability, the regime must be removed and it must be done quickly before the war causes severe damage to the world economy.

Those powers in favor of a rules-based international community should at a minimum send naval assets to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to keep it open and answer against any Houthi attacks on cargo vessels.

Just as the Islamic regime must be overthrown, so must the Houthi regime be permanently removed to restore secure, unimpeded access to global energy flows.

European navies should by now already have been be in the Eastern Mediterranean to protect Cyprus against Hezbollah attack and with some vessels sailing though the Suez Canal to provide security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Suez Canal connecting the was built by Europeans to connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. It’s time Europeans start protecting the maritime lanes it created

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) Mar 3, 2026

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