Strait of Hormuz: “Huge impact on world trade”

Fischer, a long-time diplomat on the international stage, explains: “That means the USA “We are faced with a very, very big dilemma as to whether they should continue to take offensive measures, including tough ones on the Strait of Hormuz, or ultimately let Iran continue.”

The importance of the Strait of Hormuz is enormous: a large part of the world’s oil trade passes through the narrow passage. According to Fischer, if Iran were to succeed in blocking or severely restricting shipping traffic, it would have a “massive impact on world trade.” That’s why the USA, together with Israel, is trying to secure the route again as quickly as possible.

Thousands of mines have already been laid

Sea mines are particularly problematic in the region. “So you can realistically assume that there are around 5,000 mines,” explains Fischer. According to him, these have essentially already been laid. Some of these are hard-to-see drift mines that are located just below the surface of the water. According to a report by CBS News, Iran’s total number of mines is up to 6,000.

This is an enormous challenge for the US Navy. There are currently only a few mine clearing boats available in the region. At the same time, it is hardly to be expected that Iran will begin evacuating itself under fire.

The consequences of the conflict are already evident economically: “We can see relatively clearly at the pump that the price of gasoline and diesel is going up,” says Fischer.

Concern is also growing internationally. The fact that organizations such as OPEC (Organization of Oil Exporting Countries) and the International Energy Agency are considering releasing reserves shows how serious the situation is assessed. Ultimately, energy remains “the lubricant of global industry and trade” – and therefore a means of pressure that Iran can currently use in a targeted manner.