Iranian political analyst Hussein Ruivalan said the outcome of the Strait of
Hormuz standoff will depend on which side can endure longer, framing it as a
contest between closing the strait and blockading Iran. He said the US is
feeling the pain of higher oil prices, rising inflation and living costs, which
has reduced domestic appetite for war, while Iranians view the conflict as an
imposed defensive action and can tolerate it longer. Ruivalan warned a
protracted conflict could have domestic political costs for the US president and
Republicans if no solution is found. He denied US reports of Iranian supply
shortages, saying Caspian ports are meeting domestic demand, and argued Iran’s
roughly 7,000 km land borders and 3,000 km coastline make a true blockade
infeasible.
