If, for the sake of argument, there was reason to believe Iran would take seriously any global consensus on passage through the Strait of Hormuz that would supposedly emerge from American ratification of LOST, the U.S. would still be paying far too high a price simply to codify what we already maintain is our right under customary international law.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Sirens in the Strait

Apparently, by approving our previous signature to a piece of paper, the U.S. will change Iranian behavior by somehow strengthening the American position that LOST's provisions allowing "transit passage" through international straits, such as the Strait of Hormuz, are already customary international law, of which the U.S. is entitled to avail itself.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Sirens in the Strait

From this incident flows the argument in some quarters that American ratification of LOST will take away Iran's "pretext" to challenge American warships in the Strait of Hormuz as it did in January.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Sirens in the Strait