Witness at confirmation hearing warns Iran could raise U.S. gas prices if it controls Strait of Hormuz

At a confirmation hearing, a witness warned that if Iran obtained a nuclear weapon and control over the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. gas prices would rise, and said any military action must end the war on terms acceptable to the United States and its citizens. The witness framed the risk in economic as well as security terms, saying the country's actions would have direct effects on fuel costs at home.

The questioner asked how the witness viewed the president's role in the war and in rising gas prices. In reply, the witness described Iran as difficult to negotiate with and said the country has a long history of sponsoring violence: "they've been the leading sponsor of state terrorism for 47 years," the witness said. The witness also said past negotiations had produced signed deals or memoranda of understanding that Tehran later abandoned: "They had signed deals. They had a memorandum of understanding and they walked away from those talks saying, 'Okay, this is resolved.'" The witness added that Iran had attacked civilian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which they cited as evidence that durable deals have been hard to secure.

The hearing record does not include a formal vote or further procedural action on the topic. No administration officials testified in the excerpted discussion, and the witness did not offer a specific policy prescription other than that any resolution of the conflict must be "on terms that are acceptable to the United States of America and the people who live here."