About 80 countries called for the urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, using a joint statement at the United Nations to warn that attacks and disruption around the waterway are threatening international trade and energy security.
The statement, read by Bahrain’s foreign minister during the UN General Assembly week in New York, condemned attacks attributed to Iran and the Houthi movement and said navigational rights and freedoms through the strait must be restored.
A global shipping chokepoint under pressure
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is one of the world’s most important routes for oil and liquefied natural gas. Shipping activity through the passage has been sharply reduced during the current regional conflict, increasing insurance costs and forcing energy markets to price in the risk of prolonged disruption.
Reuters reported earlier this week that vessel traffic through the strait had fallen well below pre-conflict levels. Iran has also signaled that it could reopen the passage if the United States reduces military pressure and eases restrictions on Iranian ports, but no agreement has been announced.
UN week becomes a venue for pressure and diplomacy
The joint statement adds a broader multilateral push to efforts already underway through regional mediators. Gulf governments and major importing countries have repeatedly stressed that freedom of navigation is essential not only for regional economies but also for global energy and commodity markets.
The statement does not itself create an enforcement mechanism. Its immediate significance is diplomatic: dozens of governments are publicly aligning around a demand that commercial shipping be allowed to move through the strait without attack or obstruction.
Attention now turns to whether negotiations around the UN meetings can produce a practical arrangement. Iran has said it is open to talks under certain conditions, while U.S. officials have indicated diplomacy remains possible even as military and economic pressure continues.
Sources: Reuters, Sept. 24, 2026; Reuters reporting on Strait of Hormuz traffic and Iranian reopening conditions, Sept. 21-22, 2026; UN General Assembly proceedings and the Bahrain-led joint statement. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, Strait of Hormuz map, CC-licensed.
