More than 20 countries on Saturday expressed readiness to help ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, condemning Iran’s closure of the strategic route.The UAE ministry of foreign affairs released a joint statement signed by the leaders of the UAE, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Romania, Bahrain, Lithuania and Australia addressing the situation in the strategic strait.“We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” the statement read.The statement said that freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law, including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).It added that the consequences of Iran’s actions would be felt across the world, particularly by the most vulnerable communities.“Consistent with UNSC Resolution 2817, we emphasise that such interference with international shipping and the disruption of global energy supply chains constitute a threat to international peace and security. In this regard, we call for an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations,” the statement read.The statement said the countries were ready to support efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait and welcomed ongoing preparatory planning by other nations.It also welcomed the International Energy Agency’s decision to authorise a coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves and said further steps would be taken to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations to increase output.The statement added that efforts would also be made to support the countries most affected, including through the United Nations and international financial institutions.“We will also work to provide support for the most affected nations, including through the United Nations and the IFis. Maritime security and freedom of navigation benefit all countries. We call on all states to respect international law and uphold the fundamental principles of international prosperity and security,” the statement read. After the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, Tehran retaliated with strikes on its Gulf neighbours and on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.Between March 1 and 19, commodities carriers made just 116 crossings through the strait, according to analytics firm Kpler, a drop of about 95 percent from peacetime levels.Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas normally passes, along with repeated attacks on energy infrastructure across the Middle East, has driven global energy prices sharply higher.
