Tehran: A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader has issued a provocative comparison, equating the country's strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz to the leverage provided by a nuclear weapon. Mohammad Mokhber stated on Friday that Tehran has no intention of surrendering its grip on the vital maritime passage.

A new strategic doctrine

Speaking in a video released by the Mehr news agency, Mokhber suggested that Iran had previously undervalued its geographical advantage along the waterway. The strait, which serves as a primary artery for global energy supplies, was closed by Tehran early in the current Middle East conflict, triggering economic instability and leaving hundreds of ships adrift.

"The Strait of Hormuz represents an opportunity as precious as an atomic bomb," Mokhber declared. "Indeed, having in one's hands a position that allows you to influence the global economy with a single decision is a major opportunity."

Formalising control and tolls

Mokhber’s comments come amid reports from shipping journal Lloyd's List that Iran has established a formal authority to oversee transit and collect tolls from vessels attempting to pass through the strait. While some Iranian legislators claim the state has already begun receiving such revenue, the move has been heavily condemned by the United States and the United Nations’ maritime agency.

The adviser signalled that Tehran intends to permanently alter the status of the waterway, regardless of international consensus.

Iran would "change the (legal) regime of this strait”, through international law if possible, and unilaterally if not, he said.

High-stakes negotiations

The future of the Strait of Hormuz remains a central pillar in ongoing peace talks. Iran is currently reviewing a proposal from Washington to prolong the existing truce, which would facilitate broader discussions on a permanent resolution to the war sparked by joint US-Israeli actions against the Islamic Republic. Mokhber, however, remained defiant, pledging that the nation would not "forfeit the gains of this war”.

AFP