Iran Seizes Hormuz Control, Demands Tolls as Rubio Warns Deal Is Dead

Iran has established the 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority,' claiming military oversight over 22,000 sq km of the Strait of Hormuz and demanding nations pay tolls for passage — with China, South Korea and Oman already in direct negotiations. This naked assertion of economic and military dominance over one-fifth of the world's oil supply signals Iran's growing boldness as a regional power, reshaping the global order in ways that align with end-times prophecy surrounding Persia's rise. Scripture identifies Persia (modern Iran) as a key actor in the coalition that moves against Israel in the last days, and Iran's leverage over global trade foreshadows the kind of economic disruption and power realignment described in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 18.