Saudi Arabia urges US to lift Hormuz Strait blockade and resume talks

Istanbul - Saudi Arabia has urged the United States to halt the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and resume negotiations with Iran, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday, citing regional officials. The report states that Saudi Arabia is concerned that the Trump blockade could prompt Iran to escalate and disrupt other critical shipping lanes. The kingdom fears that Iran might respond to the blockade by closing Bab al-Mandeb - the narrow strategic strait in the Red Sea that is vital for the remainder 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 this end, many countries, including Saudi Arabia, are pressing the US to resolve the issue at the negotiating table and are making strong efforts to restart talks. The report also indicates that behind the tough stance shown publicly, 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, effective from Monday at 14:00 GMT (21:00 WIB).