Sultan Barakat, public policy professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, said
shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely to return to pre-conflict
norms and Iran will not allow naval or armed vessels linked to the US or Israel
to transit freely. He said Gulf Arab states will have to strike a compromise as
markets adapt to disruptions in the Hormuz and other key waterways; he added
that about 90% of their goods are currently unable to be shipped and exporters
are racing to find alternatives. While price increases have occurred, Barakat
said global markets have not yet seen a severe supply crisis, but the ongoing
disruption raises material trade and market-risk exposure for the Gulf states.
