Saudi Arabia urged the United States to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations with Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing regional officials.
According to the report, Saudi Arabia is concerned that Trump's blockade could lead Iran to escalate and disrupt other important shipping lanes.
The country fears Iran will retaliate for the blockade by closing Bab al-Mandeb - a strategic narrow lane in the Red Sea that is crucial for the rest of Saudi oil exports.
"The Gulf countries do not want the war to end with Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz, their vital economic artery," the report said, quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Tuesday, April 14.
For this reason, many countries, including Saudi Arabia, urged the US to resolve this issue at the negotiating table and worked hard to restart talks.
The report also stated that behind the firm stance shown to the public, the US and Iran still maintain communication through intermediaries and are ready to negotiate if both are willing to be more flexible.
US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which took effect on Monday at 14.00 GMT (21.00 WIB).
The blockade was carried out after Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement in negotiations in the Pakistani capital at the weekend.
The talks are part of a broader effort to end the US-Israeli offensive against Iran that has killed more than 1,400 people since February 28, which was held after a two-week ceasefire.
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