The Monocle Daily Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz closed as Trump hints at a ‘final blow’
Mar 27, 2026
Quentin Peel, journalist and Monocle contributor, offers commentary on trade and geopolitics. Bertu Urschelich, RUSI Middle East security specialist, analyses Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and regional diplomacy. They discuss Iran’s closure claim on the strait and its toll-booth tactics. They debate pipelines as alternatives, risks of escalation and implications for global trade and WTO politics.
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Hormuz Disruption Threatens Food As Well As Oil
- Disruption from Hormuz closure reaches beyond oil to fertilizer and food, risking major global market shocks.
- Quentin Peel warns Israel and the US underestimated Iran's capacity to manipulate the strait and cause extraordinary global disruption.
Pipelines Are Not A Full Alternative To Hormuz
- Overland pipelines and transports exist but are limited and vulnerable to drone strikes and sabotage.
- Bertrand Urschelik notes these alternatives pale against the overwhelming dependency on the Strait of Hormuz.
US Military Build Up Could Be Theatrical But Risky
- US troop movements to the region may be partly theatrical but unpredictability of President Trump makes escalation possible.
- Quentin Peel says political costs of casualties make large-scale landings politically fraught for Trump.