Following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, the Iranian Parliament has voted in support of closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoints, according to media reports.
Any final decision on retaliation, however, will rest with the country’s Supreme National Security Council and le
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Around 20 percent of global oil trade passes through the Strait. Some experts have said that if Iran were to cut off access to the Strait, it could spike oil prices by 30 to 50 percent immediately, with gas prices likewise rising by as much as $5 per gallon.
Update, strait still not closed. Nothing ever happens yet again
Iran has the right to defend itself.
Oil going up in price won’t be necessarily a bad thing, oil is underpriced relative to historical highs.
Trump wants more local oil production, but the price doesn’t warrant it, this is how they do it.
Man would I love a montage of hidden camera footage of cousin-fucking Trump supporter’s faces as they look at the skyrocketing gas prices when they go to the pump.
Get your Trump “I did that” stickers ready.
I don’t think they’ll recognize a price difference unless Fox news tells them about it.
Got an EV, I’ll be okay. Sorry republicans, but surely you were expecting this, right? Enjoy the gas prices.
I’ve noticed that everyone only sees oil from a personal perspective. If gas prices spike, every price spikes. On top of that, oil is used for 1,000 purposes apart from internal combustion engines. The shockwaves from the planetary economy crashing would be appalling. Here’s a tiny, tiny example:
Your city has a budget for mowing grass, parks & rec, all that. If higher prices run that budget out, the work simply stops. Multiply that by 1,000,000 other like cases.
An EV will only save you the gas station bill. It won’t save you from everything else that will crumble.
Sorry, all your electricity is needed for AI
even if you have an electric vehicle, the stuff you rely on probably uses oil and gas for production, transportation, whatever.
In the US, specifically, higher oil prices feed into higher prices for the fertilizer used in raising corn, which in turn feeds into higher corn prices, which then feeds into almost all food because in the US corn is used directly or indirectly in food to truly insane levels (for example, cattle is fed corn even though it’s not natural and causes health problems hence the overused of antibiotics for cattle in the US and sugar is mainly chemically processed corn).
In other countries it’s a bit easier to isolate oneself from the indirect effects of oil price rises if you don’t drive ICE vehicles and eat locally grown food because this pathway from “oil” to “almost all food” is either not present or far weaker.
Mind you, I agreed that you can never isolate yourself totally from it unless you’re some kind of hermit living in your own cave disconnected from everything else and growing your own food using 100% natural agriculture.
Heh, probably the only piece of good news the cybertruck owners will ever get.
Not saying you own one of those or anything, but thinking it must be the first positive they’ve seen in ages.
No, no Tesla’s for me
I don’t know, tow trucks still use gas, so they may still suffer some knock on effects.
Yeah, there’s no outweighing the downsides. Hell if you just look at the depreciation, they’ll never make the loss back and fuel even if they had no problems.
Oh boy can’t wait for more inflation, war and destruction!
don’t worry, it’ll somehow be Biden’s fault
The only way for us to leave the middle east alone is if they have the bomb. The further they are away from possession of the nuke, the more likely we are to invade and generally fuck with them.
Yes, because Russia and the US have been no trouble at all since they got the bomb.
What we need to do is stop using fossil fuels, and let the Middle East go back to being irrelevant.
The Middle East was probably more culturally relevant before oil. You can’t disregard an entire region of the planet because your narrative doesn’t want to include them.
Billionaires don’t want to stick their greasy fingers in culture though.
If that were true, Disney and a number of other large companies would not exist.
go back to being irrelevant
Yeah, that was never true, just delusional and wishful thinking. The region has always been relevant that’s why the Greeks in 324 BC and the Romans in 26 BC coveted it long before oil.
I actually asked Le Chat yesterday, what would happen if oil became irrelevant:
If oil were not a valuable resource, the geopolitical interests in the Middle East would likely shift, but the region would still hold significance for several other reasons. Here are some potential international geopolitical interests that could remain:
- Strategic Location: The Middle East’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa makes it a crucial area for global trade and military strategy. Control over key waterways, such as the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Bab el-Mandeb, would continue to be of great importance for international shipping and naval power projection.
- Trade Routes: The region serves as a vital land bridge and maritime corridor for global trade. Ensuring the security and stability of these trade routes would remain a priority for international powers.
- Religious and Cultural Significance: The Middle East is home to some of the world’s most important religious sites for Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths. The custodianship of these sites and the influence over religious narratives would continue to be of interest to various state and non-state actors.
- Security Concerns: The Middle East has been a hotspot for terrorism, insurgencies, and regional conflicts. International powers would likely remain engaged in the region to address security concerns, prevent the spread of extremism, and maintain regional stability.
- Alliances and Partnerships: Many countries have established alliances and partnerships with Middle Eastern states based on shared interests, security agreements, and historical ties. These relationships would likely continue, albeit with a different focus.
- Economic Interests: Beyond oil, the Middle East has other economic resources and opportunities, such as minerals, agriculture, and emerging markets. International investment and economic cooperation in these areas could continue to drive geopolitical interests.
- Humanitarian and Development Issues: The Middle East faces numerous humanitarian challenges, including refugees, internal displacement, and development needs. International actors may remain engaged in the region to address these issues and promote human rights and development.
- Regional Power Dynamics: The Middle East has several regional powers with their own geopolitical ambitions and rivalries. International actors may seek to influence these dynamics to maintain a balance of power and protect their interests.
- Technological and Scientific Collaboration: The region has potential for technological and scientific advancements, particularly in areas like renewable energy, desalination, and agriculture. Collaboration in these fields could be of mutual interest.
In summary, while the value of oil has significantly shaped international geopolitical interests in the Middle East, the region’s strategic location, cultural significance, security concerns, and economic opportunities would likely ensure continued engagement from global powers. The nature and extent of this engagement would depend on a complex interplay of factors and evolving global priorities.
So, for those watching, as usual, the cost of the war can and will fall most heavily on the poor.
The poor should rethink their vote next time
next time
Here’s hoping there will even be a next time.
If the option to vote with paper is gone try lead.
I live on the other side of the world, but I bet you anything you like that my petrol prices will double too. It will cost twice as much to heat my home, and because my country is so big and so far away from everything, the cost of any goods I buy will increase significantly due to the additional price of the fuel required to get it to me.
I had no choice. I couldn’t vote for that dickhead if I wanted to. America voted and I’m worse off for it.
Sorry, couldn’t hear you over all the deafening silence from Kamala Harris and Joe Biden about how much they oppose this foreign policy and how different things would have been in this regard if either of them had become president.
The normie libs downvoting this comment because they are offended by the claim that Harris and Biden are 100% aligned with trump on Israel policy, are the same people who would be self-righteously scolding me for undermining a democratic administration if it was Kamala bombing Iran.
You’re right.
They should all vote Green.
Well, they need to start by registering for the green party.
You can’t show up on November 6th and say “everybody should have voted for Jill Stein!” After she barely gets more votes than the worm riddled antivax conspiracy theorist that dropped out of the race and backed trump.
$10 gasoline here we come.
This will just give trump more leverage to drill on protected lands and build pipelines through communities, and seize private property in the US, to satisfy his American oil baron owners.
This is exactly right and needs to be higher. This was either part of the plan or a welcome side effect.
Unfortunately the oil we drill can’t be refined here. So it doesn’t matter if we drill more. We can’t do anything with it without sending it east.
It’s okay, kids can build and work the refineries.
The children yearn for the 'fines.
Why can’t it be refined here?
I was curious, and this is what I found.
As of January 2024, there were 132 operating oil refineries in the United States with an atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity of 18,374,628 barrels per calendar day according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).[94]
And we use a little over 20.
Here is a video about it. In a nutshell, the oil we are able to pump out of the ground is a much lower quality oil and our infrastructure is not setup to handle the low quality crude oil. In order be able to process it, we would need to spend billions for the infrastructure and it wouldn’t make financial sense since the East processes it for so much cheaper.
Something about heavy and light crude oil, and some head scratching decisions that involve shipping things around the world
Because the refineries constantly fuck up and release toxic shit without warning nearby communities of what they did and that windows need to be closed. Then they get shut down when the riots start.
The US has been a net exporter of refined petroleum since 2010.
Yeah but it’s not the same quality or type of oil that the Middle East has. However Alaska does have that type of oil…
The market seems to be betting that it’s not happening.
TACO principle.
I’m betting it’s not happening. The collective wrath of a dozen militaries would drop on their head.
The reaction of the rest of Europe to Trump’s attack would lead Iran to expect that the usual suspects in Europe would attack Iran either way, same as they did back when America invaded “WMD” Iraq.
Certainly were I am (Portugal, which by the way also sent troops to Iraq) there are already people from America and Israel-aligned far-right think-tanks being invited to news segments on public TV about the American attack, where they’re complimenting Trump on his action, calling it a “massive victory to Netanyahu” and scaremongering against Iran with exactly the same kind of “arguments” as were used for Iraq (Iran has WMDs, Iran is developing missiles which can reach European cities and so on), so the Manufacturing Consensus machinery is already running.
How so?
Sounds like those militaries need some nukes dropped on them.
How about this? Stop fucking with other people’s shit. If Iran wants to protect itself, it has every right to do so. And that means closing the shipping lanes they ALLOW others to use.
Are you under the impression that Iran owns the Straight? We just gonna chunk international waters and maritime laws out the door?
Good on them for being smart about this. Doesn’t always have to be bombs. I thought Trump was supposed to be a good business man.
He’s never been a good businessman.
You mean that guy that had not one, not two, but three failed casinos?
I think it was 5 casinos and a casino holding company? Brb…
Edit:
Bankruptcies were…
1991: Trump Taj Mahal
1992: Trump Castle Hotel & Casino
1992: Trump Plaza Casino
1992: Trump Plaza Hotel (not a casino, just a hotel.)
2004: Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts
2009: Trump Entertainment Resorts. Which was a casino holding company. Not only did he bankrupt cannons he also bankrupted a company that syphons profits from casinos.Apparently that’s good business? Haha
He failed Trump steaks!
Who fails steaks? I’m vegan, but who fails steaks???
Who makes a brand of steaks and sells them via Sharper Image???
He didn’t make anything, some meat company with the shittiest marketing division ever thought it would sell with absolutely no market research. He would have put his name on Epstein-branded underwear if he thought they’d get him slightly out of debt.
Very true. Now he’s out of debt. Its time someone asked him to pay for all the various things he didn’t pay for during both campaigns.
I’d be kind of surprised if he’s out of debt yet.
And even if he is out of regular Deutsche Bank debt, I wonder how much the handlers who got him the election are still into him for.
Is that smart? The US largest export is oil. Spiking the prices is what they want too.
The US charges its people international prices and not based on local extraction costs.
It’s not the good of the people that they’re thinking of. The US people are just another market to be exploited. Imagine the profits that the producers can harvest
Could make buyers look for other sources if they only block US oil.
Who, out of the countries that use the gulf of Hormuz, would be buying US oil?
I’m confused. What are you trying to say?
It’s nearly impossible to block any given countries oil. Too lazy to write it all up, but ChatGPT gave me sane output on the question:
You’re absolutely right — blocking a specific country’s oil exports or imports is extremely difficult in practice. There are several reasons for this:
- Global Oil Market is Highly Fungible
Oil is a fungible commodity, meaning that once it’s extracted and enters the global supply chain, it’s often mixed, rebranded, or rerouted. That makes it very hard to trace its exact origin once it enters international trade.
- Third-Party Countries & Middlemen
Countries can sell oil to intermediaries who then resell it under a different label or blend it with other sources. For example, sanctioned oil from Iran, Venezuela, or Russia has been known to enter markets through such indirect routes.
- Shipping and Flagging Loopholes
Oil can be transferred ship-to-ship in international waters (a tactic known as “dark fleet” operations), often with falsified paperwork, GPS manipulation, or using flags of convenience to hide the oil’s origin. 4. Global Demand
Many countries, especially in the Global South, will continue buying oil wherever they can get it, especially at discounted rates. This demand gives sanctioned countries alternative markets.
- Limited Enforcement Capacity
International bodies like the UN or even the U.S. and EU can impose sanctions, but enforcement — especially on the high seas — is expensive, politically sensitive, and technically challenging.
- Economic Blowback
Broad oil bans can also harm the economies of sanctioning countries by raising global prices, fueling inflation, or creating supply disruptions — making governments hesitant to implement strict bans.
Bottom line: Even with sanctions or embargoes, oil tends to find a way into the global market. Cutting off a specific country’s oil completely would require not only international political unity but also technological and logistical enforcement capabilities that currently don’t exist at the necessary scale.
EDIT: Y’all childish. “He used AI! FAKE!” There’s not a single falsehood in all that and it’s a complete explanation. “NO!”
Smart!? Can you not imagine what hell will drop on Iran if they go through with this? The world will not allow them to crash the global economy.
This is simple posturing. Money says they don’t dare try this. They’re threatened before, never done it.
Russia Like this! Krasnov did it again. Молодец товарищ Краснов.
I know what you mean, but Russia wanting its primary Middle Eastern ally destroyed just to hope oil prices will hike is a bit out there.
I really hope they do close it. Time for FAFO.
As much as I hate how this is going to affect millions in the US and Iran, and elsewhere, who are already struggling, I don’t think anyone in the US will care unless it personally affects their own quality of life, so yeah, part of me agrees with you.
If the gas price skyrockets they will demand Donald’s head. Nothing pisses Americans off more than not being able to use their cars.
Demand for his head, I doubt. They’ll just call for a full invasion and taking of the strait and justify the strikes and invasion do to Iran closing it.
There is a portion of MAGA that won’t, sure.
But the majority will. This is a war of choice, not necessity, and you saw how quick people were to flip on Harris when it became clear she was comfortable with people being impoverished for no good reason.
I mean yeah but he’s already a dictator. We can’t vote our way out of this.
All these liberals just don’t fuckin get it yet…
You just lived through a period where people literally threatened their neighbors (and tried to kidnap a governor) with guns because they couldn’t get a haircut or get some cheesy biscuits at Red Lobster.
The worst sin Donald can commit is coming between Americans and the convenience that they equate with liberty.
And yes, there will be another vote.
The American people do love their bread and circus.
I’m not sure why Trump isn’t frightened by the prospect of the American people missing those things.
And yes, there will be another vote.
6-3 SCOTUS says the election didn’t mean what you thought it meant.
Bush v Gore was a lethal blow for American democracy.
The vote may take place, but its not gonna matter. If he wants to stay in office, he will.
I’m torn, because I’ve seen plenty to suggest the democratic process is still chugging along in the states. Let me know when the NJ/VA gubernatorial races are overturned.
At the same time, I’ve seen “Welcomefest” and the liberal doubling down on Palestinian genocide. I’m seeing liberals in Congress line up to support Trump in his Iran War. Liberals are bought into crypto. They’re bought in on school privatization. They’re bought in on defunding Medicaid and SS. They bought in on the deportations and the lawless arrests and the police violence
Too many liberals are supporting Trump in deed, while complaining in name only. How does an election fix that?
What you’re saying is there is actually a class divide that gets hidden by a manufactured social divide.
Ding ding ding. We have a winner!
could it be that Marx was right, then?
You sure about that? This is MAGA. They will fall in line and say “if Biden didn’t fuck this up in the first place… then…blah blah”
They are all Team players. They will bend the knee like before.
they’ll blame iran and then demand daddy donny fix it with more bombs. they lack the ability to see that trump is the entire cause of this nonsense
From what I understand, the US is now an oil producing country due to fracking so we won’t see results like the oil embargo of the 70s, just increases in prices. Increasing the price of oil will increase the profits to Republican donors. I do wonder what the products of the closure will look like.
Increasing the price of oil will increase the profits to Republican donors.
It also increases Russian profits. 🤔
If the gas price skyrockets they will demand Donald’s head
Maybe. Or maybe they’ll just keep blaming Palestine protesters and other Woke Leftists for doing a domestic terrorism by talking shit about the president.
It took a long long while for the median Americans to come around to Bush being a POS. Conservatives only really turned on him after he left office.
I can easily see our domestic media egging on our paramilitary DHS to do more fascism against the immigrants responsible for inflation. And I can easily imagine a lot of Americans convinced they’re who are to blame.
If the gas price skyrockets
We’re a net oil exporter these days, thanks to hydrofracking.
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/imports-and-exports.php
In 2020, the United States became a net exporter of petroleum for the first time since at least 1949.
If the gas price skyrockets, (a) if it becomes really serious, it’s possible for the US to not export oil and (b) more US oil production will come online.
Loss of oil access was a potent lever against the US in the 1970s, but it isn’t in 2025.
We are talking 20% of global supply here.
The US can’t just buffer that for its own people. Also this affects all manufacturing and shipping outside the US going to the US.
And if the US doesnt share the consequences and deliver oil to its “allies” in Europe that will damage the relationships substantially.
And this administration has shown what signals of concern about that, again?
His supporters won’t demand anything, even the ones a raise in gas prices most directly affects. But let them eat shit in any case.
The world’s militaries will turn Tehran into rubble before they allow Iran to crash the global economy. The planet runs on oil. You don’t have to like it, but you better believe it.
You’re move “tactician” Trump.
This must be a very difficult decision. It heavily affects China, as Irans biggest trade partner for oil, as well as the other exporting gulf states Iran tried to normalize relationships with during the last years. Oil prices will go up, Putin will benefit.
Thankfully there’s a price cap set for russian oil (at least by all the western countries), so not that much benefit for them. Don’t know is asian countries etc. still pay the full market price though.
Is there a way to send that oil they Pakistan?
Parliament has approved it. Hasn’t been ordered yet though by the supreme leader.
