Guterres Warns of Oil and Gas Disruptions Due to Extended Closure of Strait of Hormuz

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning on Tuesday about the severe consequences of a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, cautioning that disruptions to the flow of oil, natural gas, and fertilizers through the critical waterway could have devastating effects on global food security and agricultural production.

Speaking amid escalating tensions in the region, Guterres said that the extended blockage of the strait — through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply and a significant share of global liquefied natural gas shipments transit daily — was already creating ripple effects across international commodity markets. He warned that the inability to move fertilizers through the passage was particularly alarming, as it threatened to disrupt the current global planting season at a time when food insecurity is already at record levels worldwide.

"The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not merely an energy crisis — it is a humanitarian emergency in the making," Guterres said, adding that civilians in the region were bearing the heaviest burden of the deepening insecurity. He described the suffering of ordinary people caught in the crossfire of hostilities as unacceptable and called for an immediate cessation of all military operations to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

The secretary-general's remarks underscored the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman that serves as the single most critical chokepoint in global energy supply chains. Any sustained disruption to navigation through the strait has historically sent shockwaves through oil markets, driving up prices and threatening the energy security of importing nations across Asia, Europe, and beyond.

For Qatar, the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, the stability of the Strait of Hormuz is of paramount importance. The Gulf state's entire LNG export capacity depends on safe passage through the waterway, and Doha has long advocated for diplomatic solutions to regional tensions to ensure the uninterrupted flow of energy supplies. Qatar's foreign ministry has repeatedly called on all parties to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue over confrontation.

The warning from Guterres comes as international diplomatic efforts intensify to de-escalate the situation in the Gulf region. Several nations have called for emergency consultations at the United Nations Security Council, while regional mediators, including Qatar, have been working behind the scenes to facilitate communication between the parties involved in the conflict.

Analysts say that even a short-term closure of the strait could push global oil prices sharply higher and exacerbate inflationary pressures in economies still recovering from years of supply chain disruptions. The fertilizer shortage, if sustained, could reduce crop yields in major agricultural regions, potentially triggering food price spikes that would disproportionately affect developing nations.

Guterres urged the international community to act with urgency, warning that the longer hostilities continue, the more difficult it will be to reverse the damage to global supply chains and civilian livelihoods.