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UAE calls for unconditional reopening of Hormuz, holding Iran accountable
Due to the vital importance of the Strait, the consequences of its closure are already being witnessed globally and will be significant and far-reaching
- PUBLISHED: Fri 1 May 2026, 8:15 PM
- By:
- WAM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.]
The UAE has once again called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which around 20% of global oil shipments pass, as it remains effectively restricted due to Iran’s actions.
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During a high-level open debate on “The Safety and Protection of Waterways in the Maritime Domain” at the UN Security Council, UAE's Minister of State, Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, said that Iran should be held fully accountable for its unlawful obstruction of international navigation.
Addressing the meeting, which was chaird by Bahrain, Al Marar shed light on steps taken by the UN Security Council against the unprovoked Iranian attacks on the Gulf countries and Jordan, and the threats resulting from the deliberate obstruction of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
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“The decisions issued recently by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council, its legal committee, and the UN Human Rights Council, regarding Iran’s actions in the Strait reflect the international community’s position, which demands Iran end its unlawful actions in and around the Strait of Hormuz and to ensure that the Strait remains open with unrestricted transit passage, in accordance with international law," he stated.
Hormuz should not be leverage tool
Al Marar further clarified that allowing Iran to utilise this international Strait as a tool for leverage and political gain would undermine the stability and security required by the international order and global trade. "If Iran is permitted to persist in closing the Strait, it would set a dangerous precedent that could erode the freedom of navigation in vital international waterways around the world."
He outlined the full scope of Iran's unprovoked violations, including the imposition of illegal fees on transiting vessels, launching terrorist attacks and threats against navigation, the laying of mines, and discriminatory treatment of foreign vessels — in a clear violation of the relevant international resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 2817.
Due to the economic coercion and the flagrant violations of international law, my country holds Iran responsible and affirms that Iran is fully liable to provide reparations for all damages due to its internationally illegal actions, including impacts on the sea and the marine environment
Uae Minister Of State Khalifa Bin Shaheen Al Marar
Due to the vital importance of the Strait, the consequences of its closure, he said, are already being witnessed globally and will be significant and far-reaching, impacting energy security, supply chains, and the security of food and essential fertilisers for agriculture, particularly in the Global South, highlighting its grave impact on the global economy.
He said, “Iran’s actions underscore the importance of collective action by the international community to reach a lasting solution to ensure the unconditional and sustainable freedom of navigation and the right of transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Al Marar reaffirmed the UAE’s readiness to participate in all efforts aimed at ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open in accordance with international law.
Ahead of the debate, Al Marar participated in a joint press event led by Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, with representatives from more than 90 countries, sending a unified message to the international community for Iran to immediately halt its unlawful actions in and around the Strait of Hormuz and to ensure that the Strait is open and transit passage unrestricted, in accordance with international law.