Oil could go past $90 a barrel if the key waterway is closed

Analysts say any disruption — even if temporary — could jolt energy market

- BY JUSTIN VARGHESE

The Strait of Hormuz, already the world’s most sensitive oil shipping chokepoint, is now at the centre of escalating global tensions after Iran’s parliament voted on Sunday to authorise its potential closure, following overnight US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

According to Iran's state media, the symbolic but politically charged vote empowers the Supreme National Security Council to enact the measure. While the decision does not trigger immediate action, it signals Tehran's intent to retaliate after what it called a “blatant act of aggression” by the United States.