Kuala Lampur, June 25 -- The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime chokepoint that links the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and beyond to the high seas. It borders two coastal states, Iran and Oman. An estimated 20 percent of the world's crude oil supply is transported through this narrow waterway daily. It is therefore unsurprising that the Strait has become the focus of global geopolitical tensions.

A key question that continues to arise is whether Iran may legally close the Strait of Hormuz to foreign vessels, particularly in times of heightened regional conflict.

Transit passage and the law of the sea

Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Strait of Hormuz is classified as a strait used for ...