World Report March 15: Sunday's top stories in 10 minutes
Mar 15, 2026
Sasha Petrosik, a CBC reporter on strategic energy choke points, and Tom Perry, a London-based international correspondent, discuss Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on global oil flows. They unpack calls for a naval coalition, embassy security warnings, and the tactical use of the strait. The conversation also touches on Nordic security talks and a Paralympic Canada–U.S. showdown.
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Strait Of Hormuz Used As A Strategic Weapon
- Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, turning a 33-kilometre chokepoint into a strategic weapon that halts about one-fifth of global oil flow.
- Tom Perry and Sasha Petrosik explain that small boats, drones, missiles and possibly mines make the strait easier to attack than defend, crippling tanker traffic and spiking energy prices.
U.S. Pushes Coalition Rhetoric Without Details
- Donald Trump called for a global naval coalition to secure the Hormuz passage and suggested allies would escort tankers, but concrete commitments remain absent.
- Tom Perry notes Trump's mixed messaging: naming countries like France and Japan on social media while offering no operational details and previously criticizing allied deployments.
U.S. Citizens Urged To Leave Iraq Now
- U.S. citizens in Iraq are being urged to leave immediately after attacks on the U.S. embassy and warnings of indiscriminate strikes by Iran-aligned militias.
- Tom Perry reports the embassy was reportedly hit by a drone or missile, prompting evacuation guidance and ongoing crash investigations.