French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday reiterated his commitment to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint, as the head of TotalEnergies warned of severe global energy shortages if the Iran war persists. Speaking at a joint news conference in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron emphasized that geopolitical uncertainty itself could trigger supply crises.
“Our goal is to achieve a full reopening in the coming days and weeks, in accordance with international law, guaranteeing freedom of navigation without tolls on the Strait of Hormuz,” Macron said. “Then things can gradually return to normal.” The strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply normally flows, has been disrupted by the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Reuters reports that Iran has seized container ships, while the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, choking vital trade routes not only for energy but also for fertilizers and pharmaceuticals.
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne pressed for the strait’s reopening on Friday, warning of dire consequences. “If it lasts two, three months more, we are entering a world of scarcity of energy, which Asian countries have already suffered,” Pouyanne told the World Policy Conference in Chantilly, outside Paris. “You cannot have 20% of the oil and gas of the planet being stranded and not accessible without major consequences.” His remarks underscore the fragility of global energy supplies amid heightened tensions.
More than a dozen countries have expressed willingness to join an international mission led by France and Britain to protect shipping in the strait when conditions permit. This contrasts with US President Donald Trump’s stance, as he has stated that Washington does not require allied assistance. Macron addressed the shared vulnerability: “We’re all in the same boat, and it’s not a boat we chose, if I may say. We’re victims of geopolitics and victims of this war that started several months ago.”
The Strait of Hormuz remains a strategic linchpin for global energy security, and its prolonged closure could trigger economic shocks worldwide. Macron’s diplomatic push signals a coordinated European effort to restore stability, though the path forward depends on de-escalation between Iran and the US-led coalition.
Source: ARY News