Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has called Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz “unacceptable” in an interview with CNN, according to Al Jazeera.

“The blockade may be imposed on Iran, but it’s also a blockade imposed on the Gulf countries, especially Qatar. We can’t get ships out — it’s very difficult and challenging,” he says. “You have seen that the strait is insecure, and this is unacceptable. The strait is an international waterway, and it is a global problem.”

Calling for coordinated international action to address the situation, Sheikh Mohammed says the strait’s insecurity is “an issue used in this war, which is, again, unacceptable”.

“For us, in order to protect our people and future generations, we should end this manipulation and blackmailing of waterways,” he stresses. “Anyone who is using the waterways to block countries and block freedom of navigation – this is unacceptable. It’s strong-arming, and we refuse any blockade or blackmailing from any country or party.”