Iran’s leader vows Hormuz control as shipping standoff intensifies
Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a defiant statement pledging to secure the Strait of Hormuz and to guard Iran’s nuclear, missile and other technological capacities, signaling a “new management” of the strait that could involve charging fees for passage; the move comes amid a US counter-blockade that has slowed shipping and pushed oil prices higher, underscoring a heightened Gulf geopolitical standoff.