UN chief hopes for status quo ante of Strait of Hormuz: Spokesperson
United Nations, June 27
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes that the Strait of Hormuz could return to its status quo ante, said his spokesperson.
Asked at a daily briefing on Friday (local time) where Guterres hopes that the Strait of Hormuz will return to how it was before the US-Israel conflict against Iran began, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, said: "I think we have to remain determined.
The Strait of Hormuz, prior to the opening of this conflict, actually worked, right? So we know it can, and we should go back to that."
Dujarric said the United Nations welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran, which covers the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that it is important that all sides honour their commitments, reports Xinhua news agency.
"We are keen to see a sustained reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, based on the concept of freedom of navigation," said Dujarric.
"It is important that all parties involved keep their eyes on the greater good -- the greater good of regional stability, the greater good of global stability."
The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important energy shipping chokepoint, had been open and toll-free before Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran and assassinated dozens of Iran's top leaders on February 28.
The strait was closed by Iran immediately after the Israel-US strikes, and tolls were imposed on limited shipping traffic.
After the signing of the MoU in mid-June, the strait was opened, but was closed again after Israel continued strikes in southern Lebanon, in violation of the MoU.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some sensible talk from the UN! The status quo ante was working perfectly before all this mess. Our fuel prices in India go haywire every time there's a disruption in the Gulf. Hope the MoU holds this time and all parties remember the larger picture of global stability. 🙏
While I appreciate the UN's stance, this is a classic case of 'too little, too late'. The US-Israel strikes on Iran killed dozens of leaders and now we're talking about 'status quo ante'? That ship has sailed. India needs to diversify its energy sources and reduce dependence on this volatile region. Bold move, but necessary.
As someone who works in international shipping, I can tell you the closure of Hormuz caused massive delays and cost hikes. The UN is right to push for reopening, but the real issue is the underlying conflict. Without addressing the US-Israel aggression and Iran's security concerns, this will be a temporary fix. Good luck to all parties involved.
India should be using its diplomatic channels more actively here. We have good ties with both Iran and the US. The MoU is a start, but Israel's continued strikes in Lebanon show complete disregard for the agreement. UN should call out violations more strongly. Arre bhai, 'freedom of navigation' is a joke if one party keeps breaking the deal! 😤
The 'greater good' argument is nice in theory, but the reality is that Iran closed the strait after being attacked. The US and Israel started this mess. I hope the MoU leads to lasting peace, but I'm skeptical. For
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