US and Iran are sailing in very different legal waters in the Strait of Hormuz

NewsWorldMiddle EastUS and Iran are sailing in very different legal waters in the Strait of HormuzThe complex military situation and economic disruption are only part of the story of the Strait of HormuzElizabeth Mendenhall The Conversation Wednesday 15 April 2026 21:12 BSTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":false,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2958503","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-war-strait-of-hormuz-us-trump-blockade-b2958503.html","title":"US and Iran are sailing in very different legal waters in Strait of Hormuz"}}CloseTreasury Secretary discusses the 'Strait of Vermouth'On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondentsGet a weekly dispatch from our international correspondentsGet a weekly international news dispatchEmail*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice{"className":"sc-1ge0fwe-0","newsletterData":{"regSourceNewsletter":"IND_On_The_Ground_Newsletter","regTitle":"On The Ground","subscriptionGroup":"on_the_ground","subscriptionGroupId":"14806361-6435-4d19-b06e-05326605fb01","pathPrefix":["/news/world/europe","/news/world/middle-east","/news/world/australasia","/news/world/africa","/asia"],"associatedAuthors":["Bel Trew","Sam Kiley"],"title":"On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents","mobileTitle":"Get a weekly international news dispatch","lengthenedMobileTitle":"Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents","imageSrc":"https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/images/newsletters/onTheGround1_1.png","newsletterKey":"receiveOnTheGround","regSourceSection":"Middle East","regSourceMethod":"NSCs"}}The Strait of Hormuz exists in the eye of the beholder.While ev...