Saudi Arabia Pressures Washington: Fears of a Widespread Oil Shutdown Push Riyadh to Urge Reversal of Hormuz Blockade Plan
Warnings of Iranian escalation potentially extending to the Red Sea and threatening to close all of the Kingdom’s maritime outlets
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The The Wall Street Journal reported intensive Saudi efforts to urge U.S. President Donald Trump to reconsider plans to impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, amid growing concerns in Riyadh over the consequences of a potential Iranian escalation that could completely paralyze its oil exports.
Fears of a Broad Iranian Response
According to the newspaper, citing informed officials, Saudi Arabia fears that tightening the U.S. blockade on the strategic strait could push Iran to expand the scope of confrontation beyond the Gulf, including targeting shipping routes in other regions, particularly the Red Sea.
This scenario suggests the possible disruption or closure of vital maritime lanes on which the Kingdom relies to export oil, placing its economy under unprecedented strain.
Dual Threat to Gulf and Red Sea Ports
Saudi Arabia operates a wide network of ports along both the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, providing relative flexibility in energy exports. However, simultaneous escalation in both maritime theaters could result in a near-total paralysis of oil shipments.
Observers believe that disruption of Red Sea ports, combined with heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, would deal a severe blow to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector and threaten the stability of global oil markets.
Potential Losses for Gulf States
In this context, Gulf exporters have expressed concern that the current U.S. policy—aimed at pressuring Iran through blockade measures—could backfire on Gulf countries themselves, causing direct economic losses.
Estimates suggest that any further escalation could deepen existing damage to the energy sector resulting from U.S. military operations launched from regional bases, which have already had a tangible impact on oil flows and maritime shipping.
Calls to Return to Negotiations
Saudi Arabia’s appeal to Washington reflects a growing awareness of the seriousness of the situation, as Riyadh pushes for de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table, in order to avoid sliding into a full-scale maritime confrontation whose costs could be extremely high for all parties involved.
