ADNOC CEO Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains restricted despite a ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran. Al Jaber emphasized that access to the critical waterway is being controlled by Iran, which requires vessels to obtain specific permission to pass. He strongly criticized this requirement, labeling it as coercion rather than freedom of navigation. The statement contradicts previous assurances, including those made by Donald Trump, which linked the ceasefire to the Strait's full reopening. Furthermore, shipping analysts have confirmed that actual traffic volumes through the strait remain critically low, indicating ongoing global trade disruption.
Despite a reported ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains restricted, with access being controlled by Iran.
Speaking on Thursday, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of ADNOC, emphasized that the passage through the Strait of Hormuz is not open to commercial shipping. Al Jaber stated that access is currently being "restricted, conditioned and controlled."
He highlighted that Iran requires ships to obtain explicit permission to pass through the waterway. The ADNOC chief characterized this requirement as a form of coercion rather than a guarantee of freedom of navigation.
ADNOC is the state-owned oil company of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is recognized as the third-largest oil producer in OPEC. The current situation raises significant concerns for global maritime trade and energy markets.