Qatar’s prime minister to CNN: Hormuz blockade is “unacceptable,” urges joint international action

Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, has called the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz “unacceptable,” urging joint international action to guarantee freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway.

In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Al Thani said the blockade “may have been imposed against Iran, but it is also a blockade against the Gulf states, especially Qatar. We cannot get ships out — it is very difficult and challenging.”

“You have seen that the strait is unsafe, and this is unacceptable. The strait is an international waterway and it is a global problem,” he said, describing the blockade as an instrument of wartime blackmail: “Whoever uses waterways to blockade countries and freedom of navigation — this is unacceptable. It is a threat of force, and we do not accept any blockade or blackmail from any country or party.”

The remarks, reported by Al Jazeera in its “Iran war live” blog on September 25, 2026, come as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed by Iran, with maritime traffic at critical levels and oil prices above $100 a barrel, while Tehran has tied reopening the strait to Washington meeting its conditions.