Today's Edition
Fatima Musabah Alremeithi*
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatens global growth and prosperity by jeopardising the free passage of shipments of oil, gas, food and other vital goods, all of which are essential to humanity, industry and development worldwide.
If the strait remains closed, the consequences of the crisis will extend far beyond oil and gas markets to affect global economic stability and produce wide-ranging humanitarian impacts, at a time when millions of people around the world already face increasing risks of food shortages under unilateral restrictions imposed by Iran.
Iranian attacks on energy facilities and fields in the Gulf, along with the closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz, place the world at risk of an energy crisis that affects international economies without limit to its growing consequences.
As the region returns to its role as a bridge for global commercial and economic exchange, the time has come for regional and international powers to cooperate to resolve the Strait of Hormuz crisis through all possible means to secure international navigation and trade.
In light of these developments, decisive diplomatic action to reopen the Strait and restore the smooth flow of global trade can no longer be delayed. All international stakeholders with commercial and geographic interests in the Strait must rally around a coalition dedicated to protecting this global passage and ensuring freedom of movement, even if a ceasefire between the United States and Israel, on one side, and Iran and its proxies on the other has not yet been achieved.
Gulf Cooperation Council countries, along with some European powers, have already engaged in diplomatic discussions and efforts to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz. There is also a US interest in building a coalition to secure navigation in the Gulf, specifically the Strait of Hormuz.
At the United Nations, negotiations are taking place on a draft Security Council resolution regarding the Strait of Hormuz to build a unified international position. On the other hand, however, Iran continues to use the Strait as a military and negotiating tool by controlling the passage in order to influence global markets and increase the cost of war for the world.
Iran violates international law, specifically the Law of the Sea, by breaching the principle of freedom of navigation, preventing ships from passing and treating the Strait as a military tool. Therefore, Gulf countries should participate in determining the future of the Strait of Hormuz through negotiation, along with forming an international force to ensure maritime security in the Strait and the Gulf.
The coalition should not be limited to Gulf countries, some European countries, and the United States, as many Asian powers also have important interests, and their economies are affected by the war and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
In light of the ongoing brutal attacks, threats to infrastructure and economic stability in Gulf countries, and the closure of the Strait, preparations should be made to support collective international efforts aimed at safeguarding maritime security and ensuring uninterrupted trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
It is also necessary to confront any actions that threaten global economic stability and international security through coordinated diplomatic channels and effective alliances focused on the future of the Strait of Hormuz and the region, including the establishment of an international military force to guarantee freedom of navigation if needed.
Addressing the Hormuz crisis also requires sustained international diplomatic pressure through United Nations channels to secure a resolution ensuring free passage and preventing the imposition of fees on vessels. This should be accompanied by coordinated economic measures, which may include sanctions and the suspension of trade relations, should Iran continue to close the Strait.
In coordination with the International Maritime Organisation, mechanisms should also be explored to manage ships stranded by the crisis, along with international arrangements aimed at restoring confidence in markets among shipping companies, international bodies and relevant experts.
In such complex circumstances, merely declaring opposition to or condemning Iranian control over maritime navigation and attempts to impose transit fees is not sufficient. The Strait may not return to its pre-war conditions even if the conflict ends. Therefore, international intervention through a credible and effective guaranteeing force should not be ruled out if the war continues, while ensuring the long-term protection of freedom of navigation after the conflict.
The world cannot remain subject to a unilateral decision by Iran to close the Strait, open it selectively, or impose fees at will on a vital international passage whose closure would suffocate the global economy and impose unbearable burdens on countries and peoples.
*Researcher at TRENDS Research & Advisory
