The pivotal waterway is much more than a global economic choke point. It is a politically and culturally dynamic region with its own dangerous undercurrents.

The United States said it has started to block vessels doing business with Iran from the strait. Details on how that would work are unclear.

US president claims Iran ‘called this morning’ and says blockade of ships transiting the strait has begun

Markets were volatile April 13, with stocks flipping from losses to gains and oil prices rising after the US began a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf says Iran raised "forward-looking initiatives", but US Vice-President Vance says Tehran did not accept Washington's terms.

“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a post on social media. “At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis.”