Saudi foreign minister Faisal told the UN General Assembly on Sept. 26 that the
Strait of Hormuz must be restored to its state before Feb. 28 and that no fees
or restrictions should be imposed. He said Gulf security is integral to regional
and global security, directly affecting global energy supplies, international
trade and supply-chain resilience. Faisal called for freedom of navigation in
all international waterways—specifically the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb,
the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden—said Saudi opposes using these routes as tools
of coercion or to harm other states, and expressed support for peaceful,
de-escalatory initiatives.