US intel reports warn Iran unlikely to ease Hormuz chokehold soon

Recent U.S. intelligence reports warn that Iran is unlikely to open the Strait of Hormuz any time soon because its grip on the world’s most vital oil artery provides the only real leverage it has over the United States, according to three sources familiar with the matter.



The finding suggests that Tehran could continue to throttle the strait to keep energy prices high as a means of pressuring U.S. President Donald Trump to find a quick off-ramp to the nearly five-week-long war that remains unpopular with U.S. voters.



The reports also provide the latest indication that the war, intended to eradicate Iran’s military strength, may actually increase its regional sway by showing Tehran's ability to threaten the key waterway.



Trump has sought to downplay the difficulty of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of the world's oil trade. On Friday, he appeared to suggest that he could order U.S. forces to reopen the passage.