Saudi Arabia Reportedly Urges US to End Hormuz Strait Blockade

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TEHERAN – Saudi Arabia is urging the United States to halt the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations with Iran, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday (14/4/2026), citing regional officials. The report states that Saudi Arabia is worried that Trump’s blockade could lead Iran to escalate and disrupt other important shipping lanes. The country fears that Iran might retaliate against the blockade by closing Bab al-Mandeb - the narrow strategic strait in the Red Sea that is crucial for the rest of Saudi oil exports. “Gulf countries do not want the war to end with Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz, their vital economic route,” the report said. To that end, many countries, including Saudi Arabia, are urging the US to resolve this issue at the negotiating table and are making strong efforts to restart talks. The report also states that behind the firm stance shown to the public, the US and Iran continue to communicate through intermediaries and are ready to negotiate if both sides are willing to be more flexible. US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which took effect on Monday at 14.00 GMT (21.00 WIB). The blockade was imposed after Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement in negotiations in Pakistan’s capital over the weekend. Those negotiations were part of a broader effort to end the US-Israel attacks on Iran that have killed more than 1,400 people since 28 February, held after a two-week ceasefire agreement.