The Iranian Regime Weaponizes Oil As The War Rages
- Ofek Kehila
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
As the US-Iran war rages and amid serious losses of armed forces, weapons, facilities, and equipment, the Iranian regime resorts to weaponizing oil. Will this risky strategy prove beneficial to Iran?
IEA launches oil release from global reserves
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is taking an unprecedented measure to reduce oil and gasoline prices, releasing 400 million barrels of oil from global reserves.
The initiative has gained the support of many countries, including the G7 club, and could offset soaring energy costs worldwide; it would be the largest release of reserves in IEA’s history.
According to Axios, the US has the largest oil stockpile among the 32 countries planning to release 400 million oil barrels in an effort to stabilize the global economy.
Oil prices soar globally
Despite the IEA’s actions, global oil prices are soaring, amounting to around $100 a barrel. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened that vessels transporting oil across the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted and sunk.
“Get ready for oil to be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security, which you have destabilised,” Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran’s military command, said to Reuters.
Oil vessels struck in the Persian Gulf
Iran’s threats translate into attacks against ships carrying oil across the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Numerous oil vessels have already been struck in the Persian Gulf, and the shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed down dramatically against the backdrop of the war.
By hitting oil vessels and facilities, disrupting supplies, and increasing energy prices across the globe, Iran hopes to plunge the world economy into crisis and put US President Donald Trump in a precarious political position ahead of the midterm elections .
The Strait of Hormuz: Strategic maritime corridor
The Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime corridor between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is currently the focus of attention. Typically, around 20% of global oil and gas passes through it, but now it is virtually shut down by the Iranian regime.
In addition to constant attacks on oil vessels and ships, Iran has begun laying mines and explosive-laden boats in the strait in hopes of choking maritime oil traffic altogether. According to Elie Tenenbaum, a researcher at the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI), Iran is estimated to have around 5,000–6,000 naval mines.
Trump threatened the Iranian regime amid reports of the mining of the Strait of Hormuz: “If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.”
Iran’s risky oil strategy
By shutting down the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting oil traffic worldwide, Iran hopes to put maximum pressure on the US and their allies. As its air force, navy, and missiles have suffered tremendous hits, Iran turns to one of the few weapons left in its arsenal: oil.
However, the risky strategy of disrupting worldwide oil traffic may cause Iran more harm than good. Even though the pressure on the US increases, Iran’s actions also trigger unprecedented alliances and cooperation between different countries: the US with Israel, Israel with the Arab Gulf States, and more.
Wrap up
As Iran wages a resource war against the entire world by weaponizing oil traffic, it remains to be seen if the world nations surrender or stand up to the Iranian threat. So far, Iran has depended on the reluctance of Europe and other major players to join the fight or at least support the US war effort. Time will tell if Iran’s strategy works to its advantage.
Ofek Kehila (Israel, 1987) is a scholar of Spanish Golden Age literature and Latin American literature of the 20th and 21st centuries. His research bridges the gap between those traditions, highlighting their aesthetic, cultural, and historical dialogue. He holds a PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2022) and was a postdoctoral fellow at Freie Universität Berlin (2023-2025).