ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Russia on Tuesday reiterated that the war with Iran must end before the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, its envoy to the United Nations told Rudaw, while Pakistan’s ambassador to the global body pointed to intensified efforts to facilitate a new round of US-Iran talks.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, told Rudaw’s Namo Abdulla that Moscow “wants Hormuz to reopen,” but that the “war should end” first.
The US and Israel launched a wide-scale air campaign against Iran on February 28, targeting more than 17,000 sites across the country over six weeks of hostilities.
In response, Tehran carried out drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.
Further complicating the situation are tit-for-tat maritime restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has tightened controls on shipping, while the US has enforced naval measures targeting vessels linked to Iranian ports.
Diplomats from dozens of countries gathered at the UN on Monday to demand the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, increasing pressure on Iran to allow shipping through the key chokepoint, which handles over 25 percent of global seaborne oil trade and around 20 percent of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments.
Staged ahead of an open Security Council meeting on the escalation in the waterway, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani read a joint statement on behalf of the assembled delegations, affirming that “free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is a cornerstone of global security and prosperity.”
Nebenzya was not among the participants in the Monday mobilization, criticizing those involved for “putting the cart before the horse” - demanding the reopening of the Strait before the end of the war.
The US and Iran agreed to a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire on April 8, halting fighting to allow space for talks. While the first round of discussions ended without a final agreement on April 11, Islamabad has in recent weeks stepped up efforts to facilitate a second round of talks between American and Iranian negotiators, though these efforts have yet to yield tangible results.
Asked by Rudaw about the latest developments in the high-stakes talks, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said, “these are ongoing talks,” adding that “discussions are ongoing, including contacts with all sides,” and that “when there is a new development, it will come.”