Strait of Hormuz open to Russia, says Ushakov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi on Thursday about the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, adding that the initiative for the call came from the Iranian side.

The ministers exchanged views on discussions at the UN Security Council concerning security in the strategic waterway, as well as on the consequences of the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. They also discussed efforts by several countries to ease tensions.

Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the strait remained open to Russia.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said around 40 countries had discussed a joint approach in a virtual meeting to restore navigation and prevent Iran from ‘holding the global economy hostage’.

The conflict has severely disrupted the transport of roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied gas supplies through the strait, sending energy prices higher.

(reuters, est)