Concerns over the future of the Strait of Hormuz emerged as one of the most contentious issues surrounding President Donald Trump's new agreement with Iran, with lawmakers, former officials and energy experts warning that Tehran could gain lasting leverage over one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints. 

While the memorandum of understanding signed last week ended nearly four months of conflict between Washington and Tehran, critics across the political spectrum questioned whether the agreement had strengthened Iran's position in the narrow waterway through which a substantial portion of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.