The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has slammed the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “weaponising” the strategic waterway “is an act of economic aggression against the entire international community”.

In an opinion piece for South African outlet Business Day, UAE Minister of State Saeed Al-Hajeri has warned that any threats to the waterway have a global impact

“When the Strait of Hormuz is threatened, the impact is not regional, it is global,” he writes.

“Even a brief interruption to traffic through this narrow corridor has sent energy prices surging, while rippling through global supply chains, leaving goods stranded in ports and driving up insurance costs for maritime trade.”