Jordan, a U.S. ally hosting American military forces, has faced repeated drone and missile attacks, which reports suggest are linked to Iranian operations, alongside broader economic challenges and regional instability. Despite these security risks, Jordanian officials have affirmed their commitment to the alliance, while King Abdullah II warned that current global and regional disruptions pose a broad threat to international stability.
Commodities exports through Strait of Hormuz collapse, except for Iran
Summary
Iran was the top exporter of commodities through the Strait of Hormuz in March, as shipments from other countries fell off a cliff with Tehran’s blockade of the vital waterway, data by analytics firm Kpler showed. Iran is usually the fifth largest exporter of commodities -- goods such as crude oil and other petroleum products, liquified natural gas (LNG), and dry bulk including fertilisers -- through the strait. But shipments by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Qatar dropped by at least 96 percent each in March compared to the previous 12 months’ average, according to Kpler. Iran’s shipments did also fall -- but by only 26 percent, the data showed. Tehran’s forces choked off the strait after Iran was attacked by the United States and Israel on February 28. Since then it has allowed only a trickle of ships to pass through. Around a fifth of the world’s crude oil and LNG normally passes through the strait, and Tehran’s paralysing of it ignited fears of a global energy crisis, with Asian countries in particular impacted in recent weeks. A US blockade of Iranian ports has appeared to further curb traffic of the trade route already paralysed by Iranian forces in recent days. Bahrain and Kuwait did not ship any commodities through the strait in March. Qatar, normally a major LNG supplier, exported just 45,000 tonnes of butane and propane through the strait in March, and no LNG. Crude oil made up 81 percent of Iran’s exports through the Strait of Hormuz last month, up from 62 percent on average from March 2025 to February 2026. lam-lmc/gr/st
Actors involved
Sources
- AFPBy AFP
Iran was the top exporter of commodities through the Strait of Hormuz in March, as shipments from other countries fell off a cliff with Tehran’s blockade of the vital waterway, data by analytics firm Kpler showed. Iran is usually the fifth largest exporter of commodities -- goods…
See this event through different lenses
Compare how Western, Iranian, Israeli, Global South, and Pro-Peace perspectives frame this event.
Compare PerspectivesCommunity Notes
Community Notes
Loading notes...
Related events
Oil prices rose this week as conflict intensified in the six-month war, with Iran reportedly maintaining control of the Strait of Hormuz while the US presses a counter-blockade of Iranian ports. Iranian authorities claimed to have targeted US military assets in Kuwait and the UAE, though Kuwait confirmed intercepting a missile and drone attack on its air base, while the UAE reported no evidence of an attack on its own facilities.
These exchanges followed Iran’s attribution of a deadly wedding strike in Kuhestak to the US, a claim US Vice President JD Vance stated is currently under investigation but disputed by Washington.
U.S. officials state that Central Command is conducting an internal review following Iranian reports of five deaths and 67 injuries at a wedding venue during Tuesday's strikes, although it remains unconfirmed that the incident resulted from a U.S. attack.
While CENTCOM emphasizes that it does not target civilians and notes that initial reports originated from Iranian state media, Vice President JD Vance confirmed the military is investigating the claims to verify the circumstances.
The Trump administration is combining economic sanctions with renewed military strikes against Iran, a strategy that has failed to compel Tehran to negotiate despite escalating tensions. While President Trump stated he does not consider electoral impacts in his decision-making, the ongoing conflict continues to affect global energy prices and political polling ahead of the midterm elections.