Manama: Kuwait’s Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah said that Iran had told the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that it would not close the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have received assurances from Iran that it will not take this step,” the Emir, on a visit to Japan, said in an interview with Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun.
Shaikh Sabah was commenting on whether Kuwait had an alternative to export oil without crossing the Strait following threats by Tehran to shut the Strait of Hormuz in reaction to economic sanctions by Europe and the US.
“The Strait of Hormuz is considered a vital artery for the world as approximately half of the oil supply passes through it, and the GCC countries, including Kuwait, have contacted the officials in Iran to ensure that no action is taken to close the Strait of Hormuz ,” the Emir said, Kuwait news Agency (Kuna) reported.
Shaikh Sabah said that Kuwait has been “working for a long time on providing a stockpile of oil through its global companies outside the Gulf region to ensure the constant supply to the countries importing the Kuwaiti oil.”
The Emir said that he was concerned about the unstable situation of the Middle East in view of Iran's nuclear crisis and the Syrian oppression of anti-establishment groups, which resulted in sharp rises in oil prices.
However, Shaikh Sabah said he was keen to assume his responsibility to stabilise the oil market and the Arabian Gulf as the leader of a major oil-producing region.
The Emir is on his seventh visit to Japan, prompting the daily to call him "Japanophile”, Kuna said.
