The flashpoint that is the Strait of Hormuz

A strait is a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The Strait of Hormuz is that which links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. It feeds into Arabian Sea and the rest of the world. It is only 21 miles wide at its narrowest point. 21 million barrels of oil pass through the strait every day making the place a flashpoint.





There is heightened tension in the region between Iran and the West. Former Iranian Prime Minister Hoveida once called the Strait “our jugular vein''. The Iranians exert considerable influence over the strait.

Now, Russia, China and Iran are to hold joint naval drills in the region over the Strait. The drills are meant to deepen cooperation between the three countries' navies. They are also coming at a time of fraught tensions between the United States and Iran.