NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is confident that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen. He said this in an interview with the American television station Fox News.
- I am completely convinced that we will get this done together, says Rutte.
More than 20 countries - most of which are part of NATO - have decided to help ships sail safely through the Strait of Hormuz. Denmark is also contributing.
- European allies and partners around the world have spent the last few weeks ensuring that we stand together. They have started planning to see what we can do together as allies and as partners to the United States, says Rutte.
During the ongoing war in the Middle East, the strait has been practically closed to shipping due to the fear of attack. The US and Israel began extensive bombing of Iran on February 28, which has since effectively blocked the strait.
Just under 100 ships have sailed through the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of March, according to data analyzed by the BBC. The figures correspond to five to six ships sailing through the strait daily, which is a drop in daily shipping traffic of about 95 percent.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Oman and Iran and is approximately 60 kilometers wide at its narrowest point. The strait connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the rest of the world's oceans. Approximately one-fifth of all crude oil and liquefied natural gas in the world normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and the closure has therefore sent oil and gas prices soaring.
Despite rising energy prices, Rutte calls it crucial that the United States and Israel launched a military attack on Iran to stop the country from becoming a nuclear power.
US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday evening. Sky News reports. The two heads of state discussed, among other things, the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to restart shipping and calm oil and gas prices.
- They agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is crucial to ensuring stability in the global energy market, says a spokesperson for the British Prime Minister according to Sky News.
Great Britain is also among the more than 20 countries that will contribute to securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
/ritzau/
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