Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens as IMO calls for restraint and Iraq urges calm

The United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) issued an urgent appeal for maximum restraint and immediate de‑escalation in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Persian Gulf. IMO Secretary‑General Arsenio Domínguez warned that recent attacks have left almost 6,000 seafarers on hundreds of merchant vessels stranded, unable to exit the waterway safely.

Iranian forces have reportedly targeted commercial ships, accusing them of deviating from approved routes, while the United States has responded with strikes on Iranian military sites, raising the risk of further confrontations. The heightened tension has already pushed oil prices up by about five percent and threatens to increase freight rates and disrupt global energy supplies.

Iraq’s foreign ministry echoed calls for restraint, stressing that the escalation endangers commercial navigation, including Iraq’s own oil exports. Baghdad urged all parties to avoid actions that could further jeopardise shipping through the strategic chokepoint.

The IMO urged cooperation among flag states, coastal states, naval forces and industry stakeholders to establish safe corridors and enable the trapped vessels to leave the Gulf, emphasizing the safety of crews as a priority amid the broader geopolitical conflict.