Iran Calls Hormuz Closure 'On Level of Atomic Bomb' Amid US Talks
A senior Iranian security official has described any decision to close the Strait of Hormuz as comparable to the use of an atomic bomb. The remark sharpens Tehran's leverage as US-Iran talks advance and oil markets stay on edge.
A senior Iranian Supreme National Security Council official said outright closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be a 'strategic decision on the level of an atomic bomb'. The remark spotlights the high-stakes calculus behind weeks of escalating restrictions in a chokepoint that handles roughly a fifth of seaborne oil.
With US-Iran talks proceeding through Omani mediation, the White House has reiterated that any closure decision would invite 'direct intervention'. Tehran maintains that current security controls are compatible with international shipping. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates continue to run alternative pipeline routes near maximum capacity.
Brent crude finished the week up about 4% and Asian refining margins are volatile. For Turkish investors, the read-across runs through natural-gas import costs and refiner margins at names such as Tupras. Hormuz is set to dominate both the Trump-Xi summit and the next UN Security Council session.
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