The method in Iran’s madness? Closure of Strait of Hormuz echoes a centuries-old Danish play − and is a tragedy for the world order

Iran’s decision to levy tolls on ships passing through the crucial choke hold has an unlikely connection to the site of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet.’

By: Vivek Krishnamurthy, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 5, 2026

Words: 1,217

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Vivek Krishnamurthy, University of Colorado Boulder

More than two months into the war in Iran, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz – the key waterway through which more than a third of the international trade in oil and gas passes – remains perilous and uncertain. Underscoring the uncertainty, on May 3, 2026, the Trump administration launched Project Freedom to help stranded ships through the strait. Yet the next day, at least two …

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