In his first public comments since succeeding his father four days ago, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said the Strait of Hormuz -- through which a fifth of global oil and gas passes -- must remain effectively shut. "The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used," Khamenei said in a message read by an anchor on state television. The IEA said Thursday that the war "is creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market". The US president struck a defiant tone in a social media post Thursday, writing that the United States "is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money". "For now, however, the dominant features are higher energy prices and extremely elevated volatility markets."

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 13, 2026 04:28 UTC