DONALD TRUMP: Right now we have a blockade.
They're doing no business.
I didn't like seeing boats come out.
Speaker 2: President Donald Trump said
the military blockade of
all Iranian ports on the Persian Gulf,
and Gulf of Oman has begun Monday.
The U. S. military said it
would still allow the ships to travel
between non-Iranian ports to
pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
That's where roughly a fifth of
the world's oil passed through before the war.
The key waterway has already been
effectively closed throughout the war,
where only some ships perceived Tehran as friendly has
been allowed to pass while
charging some considerable fees.
Experts say a successful blockade
of Iranian ports will require
sustained commitment from the U. S.
Navy's ships, and personnel.
On top of clear guidance from the administration,
and the Navy's legal department.
The biggest challenge, they say,
will be how they will plan to enforce
the enormous amount of ships
that pass through the strait.
SIDHARTH KAUSHAL: A lot depends on
the early days of the blockade,
how many vessels the Americans can seize,
how how much they can convince vessels
attempting to slip through
a cordon that they're likely to be seen.
But in all likelihood,
I'd say it will prove
difficult for for the U. S. to enforce.
Speaker 2: For ships hoping to get through the strait,
the fears of getting caught up in
the fighting for influence over
the waterway will continue to
prevent them from venturing across.
That means higher prices for oil, and gas.
Analysts repeatedly have warned that the
longer this waterway remains closed,
the worse prices could get not
only for oil but also food,
and fertilizer, which could hurt farmers
and potentially worsen hunger worldwide.
As talks between the US and Iran
ended without an agreement over the weekend.
Kaushal noted that historically,
blockades are not enough to
quickly defeat another country,
but are used to pressure economies
during a conflict over time [NOISE].