Published on: 2026-07-23
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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July 23, 2026 Peace and Security
Against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, the question of how navigation through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted in the future remains open. Traffic along this crucial maritime route has been almost completely halted, and about six thousand sailors remain stranded aboard 500 ships. The UN has once again emphasized that charging fees for safe passage violates international law. Meanwhile, rising energy prices are leading to an increase in the cost parameters of global trade.
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), after the resumption of hostilities on July 12-13 and new attacks on ships, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has practically ceased. Currently, only isolated vessels pass through this route.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed deep concern for the fate of six thousand seafarers who remain stranded on about 500 vessels anchored in the Persian Gulf.
“It should be borne in mind that these are innocent people, prepared to perform their work, not to participate in combat operations. Ships are also not designed to protect against missiles and drones,” he said.
Dominguez emphasized that seafarers play a vital role in global trade and without them maritime transport would come to a halt. “90 percent of goods transported by sea would not reach their destination, and each of us would feel the consequences,” warned the head of IMO.
According to him, maritime shipping has already come under unprecedented pressure in recent years. Among the reasons, he mentioned disruptions in the Black Sea caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as instability in the Red Sea. Yemeni Houthis claimed they attacked two Saudi oil tankers and closed the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, effectively blocking shipping to and from the Suez Canal.
“We have reached the limit,” Dominguez emphasized. “Vital cargos and goods, either coming from conflict-affected regions or necessary for the population of countries at war, remain blocked.”
The world’s energy artery
It is estimated that during peacetime, about 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Dominguez emphasized that until the conflict is resolved, ships should avoid crossing this waterway.
“In the discussion of the future regime for the management of the strait, virtually no progress was achieved, as de-escalation is necessary to continue the negotiations,” he stated.
Seafarers’ safety is the top priority
The primary task of the IMO remains the evacuation of all sailors who found themselves trapped in the strait area after the war began on February 28, when Israel and the US started bombing Iran.
“After all sailors are safe, it is necessary to obtain guarantees that the area is cleared of mines and that the strait is safe for vessel passage. Then, navigation can gradually resume and return to its previous level – about 135 vessels per day. This is the way the strait operated before,” Dominguez emphasized, adding that once these guarantees are received, the IMO will continue cooperation regarding the future management regime of the Strait of Hormuz.
Freedom of navigation
The head of IMO noted that international law does not provide any mechanisms allowing states to charge fees to commercial vessels for passage through straits. As a successful alternative, he cited the 2007 agreement regulating navigation through the Malacca and Singapore straits.
Civilians must not be targeted
Independent human rights experts have condemned the resumption of hostilities between the United States and Iran. In a joint statement, ten experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council specifically highlighted reports of strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including ports in the southern part of the country, as well as power outages in the city of Chabahar.
According to their data, shells fell near the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Damage to railway tracks is also reported. The desalination plant was also hit, resulting in about ten thousand people being left without water.
“Local authorities and Iranian media also reported strikes on Semnan airport, a grain storage facility, a water bottling plant, and areas adjacent to the children’s oncology hospital in Ahvaz, from where patients had to be evacuated,” experts stated.
According to Iranian authorities, after the resumption of hostilities, 50 people were killed and more than 500 were injured.
“Among the deceased are fishermen, night shift workers who were hit, and residents of informal settlements, that is, people who were already in a vulnerable position and had long been deprived of basic services,” experts noted.
Independent experts are not United Nations staff members and do not receive remuneration for their work.
The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz accelerated the growth of global trade
According to the latest international trade data, in the first half of 2026, global merchandise trade reached 13.7 trillion dollars, increasing by 12.5 percent compared to the same period in 2025. One of the factors of this growth was the conflict between the USA and Iran.
As noted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the sharp increase in value indicators is explained not by the growth in trade volumes, but by the rise in energy prices directly related to the conflict.
With an increase in trade in services by 10.5 percent, the total value of global trade has grown by approximately two trillion dollars and may reach a record level by the end of the year.
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