According to senior Iranian legislators, control of the Straits of Hormuz will be permanent. According to them, it is their "inalienable right" to determine what ships will transit through the channel. In this manner, the vital waterway has become an effective weapon that is capable of demanding taxes from other countries while simultaneously maintaining power over energy resources. The United States and countries of the Arabian Gulf consider Iran's policy a case of "piracy" and "blackmail"; however, Iranian ultra-nationalists want to legally consolidate control of the channel. Meanwhile, there has been considerable international pressure on Iran, which is currently under a severe internet blockade within its own territory.