Al Jazeera reported King's College London security studies lecturer Rob
Geist‑Pinfold said that despite US efforts to restore normal shipping and a
memorandum of understanding, Iran's de facto control of the Strait of Hormuz has
not weakened and has in fact strengthened since the conflict. He said
pre‑conflict traffic ran about 125 vessels a day, and shipping volumes remain
noticeably below that level even after recent diplomatic efforts. Gulf states
had already been seeking alternative trade routes before the fighting and that
shift accelerated afterwards; Iran, through sustained actions, has created faits
accomplised, consolidated its influence and deepened strategic entrenchment in the
strait, leaving shipping companies with no practical choice but to adapt.
