Ankara, June 18 (SANA) The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, on Thursday welcomed a U.S.–Iran agreement aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East and called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard global energy flows.
Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Birol said the crisis had prompted several countries to reassess their energy security strategies amid renewed concerns about a possible closure of the strategic waterway, which carries a significant share of global oil and gas flows.
He said the IEA would engage with member and partner countries on updated energy security approaches, adding that recent tensions had “reshaped the global energy landscape.”
Birol stressed that market stability depends on confidence and predictability, calling for guaranteed freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure uninterrupted energy supplies.
He added that the episode exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, prompting governments to reconsider their energy resilience and diversification plans.
The comments followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding earlier on Thursday by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian aimed at ending the conflict that began on 28 February in the Middle East. The agreement reportedly sets a 60-day timeline for further negotiations, with provisions that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons development.
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