'Iran calls the shots': Mearsheimer says US Navy powerless to control Strait of Hormuz

As tensions in the Persian Gulf reach a fever pitch, a top American political scientist has delivered a stark assessment of US military limitations, saying Washington is unable to guarantee the security of the world's most important energy waterway.

In remarks that have resonated widely on social media, international relations scholar John Mearsheimer pointed to the strategic reality unfolding in the region and asserted that the Strait of Hormuz is firmly within Tehran's sphere of influence.

The strategic waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flows each day, has been in the news after Iran closed it to ships linked to the US and the Israeli regime.

Many tankers have been targeted by Iranian naval forces in the past few weeks for breaching the ban imposed by Iran amid the American-Israeli war of aggression on the country.

US President Donald Trump had warned to escort vessels passing through the strategic waterway, but abandoned the idea after subsequent warnings from the Iranian side.

The closure of the waterway has led to economic shockwaves across the world, with energy prices in the US and Europe soaring alarmingly.

Mearsheimer emphasized the critical nature of the chokepoint, ruling out the American leverage to have it opened without the permission of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz is of extraordinary importance," the prominent political scientist and theorist stated, delivering a blunt verdict on American capabilities.

"The reality is that we have no way to keep the Strait of Hormuz open."

He pointed to the Trump administration’s unsuccessful lobbying to have his European and NATO allies join the anti-Iran naval alliance as proof of this weakness, noting that the very fact the US has been compelled to seek assistance for naval missions in the region is telling.

"The fact that Trump has requested help to carry out this mission shows that the US Navy, which is the most powerful navy in the world, is not capable of keeping this strait open on its own," he stated.

He also referred to a significant shift in the balance of power in the Persian Gulf. Wth the US unable to guarantee safe passage unilaterally, Tehran holds the position of strength.

"Therefore, as this process continues, it seems that Iran holds a very strong hand to play," Mearsheimer observed.

This military reality check comes as the wider US-Israeli military aggression against Iran faces intense scrutiny. As noted by other analysts covering the war, which entered its 20^th day on Thursday, the Trump administration's goals remain unclear, and the risk of escalation, potentially targeting global energy supplies, has assumed alarming proportions.

Mearsheimer's comments suggest that any further aggression against Iran could backfire, as the country possesses the geographic and military advantages to disrupt global oil flows in a way that the US Navy cannot reliably prevent.

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