The U.S. and Iran should extend the ceasefire to cover that period, say some leaders in the Persian Gulf and Europe, officials from those regions told Bloomberg.
Leaders want the Strait of Hormuz to be opened immediately to restore energy supplies and warn there could be a global food crisis if it doesn't happen by next month, the officials, who asked not to be named, told Bloomberg.
See also: The world is waiting for the US-Iran agreement. “Six Months”
He added that energy prices would likely rise even more if the war lasted longer. The price of Brent crude oil increased by about 3.5% on Thursday. to over $98 per barrel.
Gulf states believe Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons and that has not changed after the U.S. and Israeli bombing of the country, officials said. They therefore believe the peace deal should prohibit Iran from enriching uranium or possessing long-range ballistic missiles, officials say.
Still, Gulf leaders are generally opposed to a return to fighting and want the United States to engage diplomatically with Iran, officials say.
Spokespeople for the governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain did not immediately respond to Bloomberg's requests for comment. The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited a Bloomberg statement on April 8 that said it was necessary to “unconditionally reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”
The United States and Israel began bombing Iran in late February, and the resulting war wreaked havoc across the Middle East. Iran responded by attacking Israel, as well as countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, firing missiles and drones at their cities, ports and oil fields.
Source: Bloomberg
