Abdullah Bandar Al-Atibi said the strategic leverage of the Strait of Hormuz has lost its effectiveness in confrontations with Iran [1].
This shift in strategic value suggests a change in how regional powers perceive the threat of maritime blockades. Because the strait is a primary artery for global oil shipments, any perceived loss of its potency as a diplomatic or military tool alters the risk calculus for international trade and security.
Al-Atibi, an assistant professor in the Department of International Affairs at Qatar University, said the geopolitical dynamics of the Persian Gulf [1]. He said that the "Hormuz card"—the threat of closing the waterway—no longer carries the same weight it once did.
According to Al-Atibi, this decline in effectiveness is linked to the impact of U.S. economic sanctions [1]. He said that these sanctions have not changed Iran's fundamental calculations, which in turn has eroded the impact of the strait as a point of leverage.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most strategically important chokepoints in the world. For decades, the threat of restricting access to the waterway has been used as a primary deterrent and a tool of escalation in the region.
Al-Atibi's assessment suggests that the prolonged application of economic pressure has created a new equilibrium. In this environment, the threat of maritime disruption may be viewed as less impactful than the ongoing economic constraints already placed upon the Iranian state [1].
“The 'Hormuz card'—the threat of closing the waterway—no longer carries the same weight it once did.”
The assertion that the Strait of Hormuz has lost its strategic potency indicates a transition in Middle Eastern geopolitics. If the threat of closing the strait is no longer a viable deterrent, it suggests that economic warfare through sanctions has shifted the baseline of Iranian resilience, potentially making traditional maritime threats less effective as a tool for diplomatic coercion.
