The current state of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the US naval blockade of Iran also affect Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told reporters at the UN headquarters.
“Of course, this has affected everyone; it would be foolish to say that Russia is not affected,“ he said. “People look at this only in one dimension - that as an oil exporter, Russia only benefits from this. First, however, high prices reduce demand. Second, the prices of fuel, fertilizers and many other things are rising. This makes us vulnerable because we import a lot and they will become more expensive. At the same time, we are certainly more or less self-sufficient.“
According to Pankin, the current situation is extremely difficult. “This crisis is comparable to the major crises that have occurred in the last 50-60 years“, the deputy foreign minister added.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. US President Donald Trump said that Washington would continue its naval blockade of the Islamic Republic until a final agreement is reached. Subsequently, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that Iran had closed the strait until the US naval blockade is completely lifted. The Corps called on shipowners to strictly follow Iranian recommendations and described the US president's statements on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz as “unreliable“.