'Bombs falling, commerce choked off': Sen Tim Kaine pushes to reopen Hormuz as gas prices surge

WASHINGTON, DC: Senator Tim Kaine said on Sunday, April 19, that the Strait of Hormuz should be accessible to all shipping traffic, following renewed tensions between the United States and Iran over the strategic waterway. 

The comments come after Iran reiterated that the Strait would remain closed amid an ongoing US blockade, despite earlier signals of reopening during ceasefire negotiations.

The back-and-forth has intensified concerns in global energy markets, with oil and gas prices continuing to rise. 

Tim Kaine calls for open access amid renewed tensions

Kaine, a member of both the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, emphasized the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to all nations engaged in lawful commerce.

“If they’re going to be open, I think they have to be open to all,” Kaine told Fox News, referencing restrictions placed on shipping routes due to military actions and blockades.

The Strait, a critical artery for global oil shipments, has faced repeated disruptions since late February, when joint US and Israeli strikes targeted Iranian positions.

These developments contributed to the effective closure of the corridor, significantly impacting international energy supplies.

While Iran had agreed to reopen the passage earlier this month as part of a temporary ceasefire, subsequent Israeli military actions in Lebanon led Tehran to reverse course.

Iranian officials have maintained that the Strait will remain restricted under current conditions.

“With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,” Iran’s Parliament Leader Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf wrote in a post on social platform X. 

Diplomatic push intensifies as ceasefire nears end

Efforts to de-escalate tensions are ongoing, with US officials preparing for another round of talks aimed at extending the ceasefire and addressing broader concerns, including Iran’s nuclear program.

President Donald Trump announced plans to send a delegation to Islamabad for negotiations with Tehran, expressing hopes for a breakthrough.

Kaine highlighted the importance of prolonging the ceasefire to create space for diplomatic engagement.

“If you can get the ceasefire to extend and get the Straits open, as they were on February 27th, then you don’t have to rush the negotiation,” Kaine said.

“You can take the time to get that right without bombs falling, and commerce choked off and everybody’s gas prices going crazy all around the world,” he added.

Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Chris Wright indicated that full reopening of the strait may depend on a broader resolution to the conflict. 

“After a deal is reached,” Wright told CNN when asked about the timeline for safe maritime passage.

He added, “It won’t be in the too-distant future...We can open it one way or the other, but the best way to do it is to have an end to the conflict and a defanged and de-armed Iran.”