‘Economic war’: Is Iran losing its leverage over the Strait of Hormuz?

As Iran and the United States work with mediators to end seven months of hostilities, the reality in the Strait of Hormuz is shifting in ways that could prove to be a game-changer in ongoing negotiations.According to the latest data from tanker-tracker websites, traffic through the key waterway has been steadily increasing, with some estimates putting oil and petroleum flow through the Strait of Hormuz at nearly 80 percent of what it was before the US-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iran shifts trade north to Caspian Sea as war impairs Strait of Hormuzlist 2 of 3‘Iran ready for doomsday war’, FM Araghchi sayslist 3 of 3Why has Trump rejected Iran’s peace proposal?end of listThis could dent Iran’s leverage in reaching a favourable deal for itself in its attempts to end the fighting, which has seriously hampered its already heavily sanctioned economy, amid the US blockade of Iranian ships and ports.Despite that, experts believe it would be a mistake to think normality in the Strait of Hormuz is imminent, or that Iran will fold easily despite growing economic hardship.“The fact that oil is getting through the Strait of Hormuz is e...