WASHINGTON’S blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is not an “economic siege” but a smokescreen for repositioning US military forces ahead of a possible new round of conflict, says Hassan Ahmadian, an associate professor at the University of Tehran.
Ahmadian dismissed the White House claims that the war has been costing Iran roughly $500 million a day. Additionally, Iranian sources report only one ship seizure has taken place, the incident that triggered an Iranian counter-response, he explained.
“There hasn’t been a single other ship that was stopped by the Americans, and there’s a reason for that, because the Iranians made it clear if you do this, we will retaliate. It’s an act of war,” Ahmadian told Al Jazeera. —Apr 24, 2026
Main image: Asia Times
