00:00Because the attacks on international shipping in the Gulf, the effective closure of the strait has been deeply damaging for
00:06the world,
00:06blocking fertilizer for Africa, liquid natural gas for Asia and jet fuel for the world.
00:14The trading route for Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Oman all hijacked by Iran so that they
00:23can hold the global economy hostage.
00:25Last week I convened more than 40 nations from every continent across the globe, all adamant that freedom of navigation
00:33in the strait of Hormuz must be restored.
00:37It's why today I met with the International Maritime Organization to discuss what the first steps should be now the
00:44ceasefire is in place.
00:45And it's why we are supporting and promoting their practical proposals to start moving the ships that are stranded in
00:52the strait
00:53and the 20,000 stranded seafarers.
00:55It's a humanitarian as well as an economic first step.
00:59And then we need the full and unconditional reopening of the strait as a central part, not just of the
01:05current ceasefire,
01:06but the long-term future for the region.
01:10Because the fundamental freedoms of the seas must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders.
01:19And nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway.
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