Oman vows to safeguard Strait of Hormuz, urges Iran and US to seek lasting political settlement

NEW YORK, Sept 27: Oman has pledged to continue safeguarding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while calling on Iran and the United States to resolve their disputes through a lasting political settlement.

Addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the conflict that erupted earlier this year following US-Israeli strikes on Iran had threatened regional security and disrupted shipping and trade through the strategic waterway.

Albusaidi said the disruption had affected energy security, prices and confidence in the international system. He reaffirmed Oman’s commitment to protecting freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He called on all parties to cooperate with Muscat’s efforts to ensure safe passage through the strategic chokepoint while respecting the interests of countries that depend on the waterway.

The Omani foreign minister also urged Tehran and Washington to address their outstanding disputes and pursue political understandings capable of providing a lasting resolution to the crisis.

Albusaidi expressed solidarity with neighboring countries over measures taken to protect their security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Yemen, he reiterated Oman’s support for a political settlement that preserves the country’s unity, stability and territorial integrity. He urged the Yemeni parties to work toward an agreement that safeguards Yemen’s sovereignty and its relations with neighboring states.