UN welcomes Iran's Hormuz announcement but says freedom of navigation must be respected; spokesperson declines to detail operational role

At a New York briefing, the United Nations spokesperson, Steph, said the secretary‑general welcomed Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz would be open to commercial vessels for the remainder of a ceasefire but emphasized that the UN's position remains that full international navigational rights and freedoms must be respected by all parties.

"The secretary general welcomes the announcement today by the Islamic Republic of Iran that the Strait of Hormuz is completely open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the ceasefire," Steph said. She added that the SG "considers this a step in the right direction" but stressed that freedom of navigation "is not something to be negotiated."

Reporters asked whether the UN plans to play any operational role in keeping the strait open or in any naval operation. Steph said she had "nothing to share at this time" about a UN operational role but noted that the head of the International Organization for Migration spoke at a meeting and raised humanitarian concerns for seafarers.

When a reporter cited a social‑media post attributed to former President Trump and asked whether the secretary‑general would echo that post, Steph declined to comment on every social media message but said the SG welcomed the United States' facilitation of the Lebanon ceasefire. On the International Maritime Organization, Steph said she had seen the IMO statement and that the agency is verifying announcements related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but she had no additional information to report.

Why it matters: The strait is a major commercial artery; UN statements emphasize legal norms and press for dialogue and humanitarian considerations while stopping short of announcing operational involvement.

The spokesperson then moved to put the briefing's guest from Sudan on the line.