IMO asserts that the Hormuz Strait blockade cannot be resolved militarily

Moscow (ANTARA) - The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, stated that organising a military mission to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz would not provide a long-term solution to the blockade.

On 14 March, US President Donald Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure navigation security.

“The formation of a military task force to protect commercial ships cannot be a long-term solution. Moreover, it would not eliminate all risks, as ships could still be attacked by drones or missiles,” Dominguez told the newspaper Repubblica.

The shipping issue requires efforts towards “de-escalation, followed by efforts to end this conflict,” the IMO head said.

“This is the only way to restore free shipping lanes and end further damage,” he added.

On 19 March, Dominguez announced that he would soon begin negotiations with Iran and other Gulf countries to establish a civilian ship evacuation corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.

Previously, he noted that around 20,000 seafarers remain stranded on ships trapped in the Persian Gulf.

On 28 February, the US and Israel launched attacks on several targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran retaliated by attacking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East.

The escalation of tensions in Iran has led to a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is the main route for shipping oil and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf countries to global markets.

The blockade has also impacted oil export and production levels in the region. As a result, fuel prices have risen in most countries around the world.