UN Chief Hopes Strait of Hormuz Can Return to Previous State

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes the Strait of Hormuz can return to its previous status quo, his spokesperson said on Friday. When asked during a daily press briefing about Guterres’ hopes for the strait to return to its state before the outbreak of the US-Israel conflict with Iran, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said: “I think we must remain determined. The Strait of Hormuz, before this conflict broke out, was actually functioning well, wasn’t it? So, we know it can function, and we must return to that state.” Dujarric said the UN welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, which covers the issue of the Strait of Hormuz. The UN also stressed the importance of all parties honouring their commitments. “We very much want to see the sustainable reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, based on the concept of freedom of navigation,” Dujarric said. He added that it is important for all parties involved to remain focused on the greater interest, namely the shared interest of regional stability and the shared interest of global stability. The Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important energy shipping lane, was previously open and toll-free before Israel and the US launched attacks against Iran and killed dozens of top Iranian leaders on 28 February. The strait was closed by Iran immediately after the Israeli-US attacks, and fees were imposed on the limited shipping traffic. Following the signing of the MoU in mid-June, the strait was opened but was closed again after Israel resumed attacks in southern Lebanon, violating the MoU.