Summary

The United Nations says ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen by 95.3 per cent since the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a daily press briefing on Tuesday that data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development shows vessel movements through the strait have dropped by 95.3 per cent since the war began on 28 February. Dujarric added that restrictions on the waterway have pushed up basic food prices by 6 per cent, while crude oil prices for Europe have risen by 53 per cent. READ: Trump tells aides to prepare for extended blockade of Iran: Report On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that disruptions in the strait could trigger a global food crisis. He issued a direct appeal to all parties calling for the strait to “remain open and allow the global economy to breathe.” “I appeal to the parties: open the strait, let ships pass, no tolls, no discrimination, let trade resume, let the global economy breathe,” said Guterres. Speaking during a high-level Security Council debate on maritime security, Guterres said the disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz since early March has harmed energy markets, food supply chains and global trade. He described it as the worst disruption to supply chains since the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. READ: Trump faces intense pressure to end “costly” Iran war as unilateral victory plan considered