Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on 27 September 2026 called for the Strait of Hormuz to be restored to its pre-February 28 status, free of any fees or restrictions, in an address to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The remarks underscore mounting international pressure to reopen one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints following months of disruption tied to the US-Israel military strikes on Iran.

Key Demands at the UNGA Podium

Speaking during the general debate, Prince Faisal stressed the need for unimpeded freedom of navigation across several strategic waterways — including the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden. He explicitly rejected the use of any of these routes as instruments of political pressure or military threat by any party.

The minister tied Gulf security directly to the global economy, arguing that stability in the region is inseparable from global energy security, international trade, and supply chain integrity. He also reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's support for de-escalation efforts and called for the entire region to remain free of weapons of mass destruction.

Background: How the Strait Became a Flashpoint

The crisis traces back to February 28, when the United States and Israel launched what reports described as a massive military strike against Iran. Tehran retaliated by targeting Israeli positions and multiple sites across the Middle East. The exchange triggered severe disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a waterway through which a significant share of global oil exports, including Saudi Arabia's, transit — with knock-on effects across global energy markets and supply chains.

This is not the first time the strait has been weaponised in regional confrontations, but the scale of the current disruption, and its duration since late February, marks it as among the most consequential episodes in decades.

Iran's Seven-Day Reopening Proposal

In a significant parallel development, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday that Iran had conveyed to the United States — through Qatar acting as intermediary — a 'concrete' plan to reopen the strait within seven days, provided certain conditions are met.

According to Araghchi, the timeline would begin the moment Washington formally accepts the plan. Under the proposed framework, the US would need to fulfil specific actions that Iran believes will take approximately four to five days. On day six, the strait would reopen. 'And on day seven, the talks with the US will be started for the final deal on mutually agreed subjects,' he said.

Araghchi noted that the actions required of Washington are not new demands — they are reportedly already embedded in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in June.

What Happens Next

The convergence of Saudi Arabia's public demand and Iran's conditional proposal at the same UNGA session signals a rare moment of diplomatic alignment on at least one outcome — reopening the strait — even as the broader US-Iran confrontation remains unresolved. Whether Washington moves to accept Iran's terms, and on what timeline, will be the decisive variable. Any reopening would have immediate consequences for global oil prices and shipping costs, both of which have been elevated since the February strikes.