Saudi Arabia attends ministerial meeting to coordinate reopening of Strait of Hormuz

RIYADH — On behalf of Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Al-Kheraiji attended the ministerial meeting to coordinate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz via video conference on Thursday.The meeting, chaired by the United Kingdom and attended by ministers from 35 countries, discussed joint action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In her presidential speech, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Iran’s “recklessness” in blockading the waterway was “hitting our global economic security.” The meeting emphasized that any infringement upon freedom of navigation constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security, necessitating collective action to protect maritime security and ensure the safety of passage.It addressed practical efforts to ensure the safety of passage through the Strait of Hormuz and the protection of freedom of navigation in Bab al-Mandab and international waters to achieve security and stability in the region and the world. The meeting reiterated its condemnation of any actions or threats by Iran aimed at obstructing or interfering with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, or threatening maritime security in Bab al-Mandab. Prince Abdullah Al-Kabeer, director general of the General Directorate of Policy Planning, also attended the meeting.