MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. The situation in the Middle East requires urgent efforts toward normalization, and Russia is ready to help seek compromises to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz for regular vessel traffic, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
"It's crucial that we exert maximum possible efforts to normalize the situation in the Middle East and restore full-fledged shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Russian Federation remains ready to facilitate the search for compromise solutions based on international law and with due regard for the legitimate rights and interests of all parties involved. Our assets include trusting relations with all states in the region without exception," she said.
The diplomat stressed that from the very beginning of the unprovoked armed aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran, Russia had warned of the serious consequences these actions would have for food security in the world’s most vulnerable countries. "We supported our position with facts and figures. Russia is interested in free, uninterrupted and safe navigation along international maritime routes," she said. "At the same time, we do not believe it is right to discuss the current situation, or the security crisis in the region as a whole, in isolation from the escalation provoked by US actions, which have effectively imposed a naval blockade on Iran. A return to normality is unlikely to be possible without addressing the root causes of the current crisis."
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital transportation route for fertilizer supplies to the global market, Zakharova highlighted. "According to expert estimates, about 30% of all fertilizers and a significant share of the raw materials used to produce them pass through this route every year. Due to disruptions in logistics, available production and export capacity has fallen by almost 40%. The global market has been deprived of about 2.7 million metric tons of products and commodities that are critical to agriculture," Zakharova pointed out.
She added that the scale of the fertilizer shortage on global markets and the rise in fertilizer prices had prompted WTO members to revise their forecast for global trade growth this year, from the previously expected 4.6% to 1.9%. "The main reason is, of course, the destabilization of commodity markets, including agricultural chemicals. According to the organization’s assessment, the crisis in the Middle East is threatening global food security, as fertilizer shortages could lead to lower crop yields. The International Chamber of Commerce has warned that a transport collapse and a blockade of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global food security crisis. If the strait is not fully reopened in the near future, grain prices, which in September approached their 2022-2023 peak, will continue to rise," she said.