The global energy crisis triggered by the Iran war demands an emergency United Nations Security Council resolution affirming the principle of universal access to critical energy supply and the protection of international energy transit routes, the head of the International Energy Agency has argued. Fatih Birol, speaking in Canberra, said the UN Security Council needed to directly address the weaponization of energy supply and transit. He described the overall crisis as equivalent to the combined force of the 1970s twin oil shocks and the Ukraine gas emergency.
Birol said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a recognized international waterway through which approximately 20 percent of global oil supply flowed — constituted a disruption of international commerce and energy access with consequences for every nation on earth. He said the UN Security Council had both the authority and the responsibility to address this situation directly, calling for an emergency resolution affirming the right of all nations to unimpeded access to international energy transit routes.
The conflict began February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran and has since removed 11 million barrels of oil per day and 140 billion cubic metres of gas from world markets. At least 40 Gulf energy assets have been severely damaged, making rapid supply restoration impossible. The IEA deployed 400 million barrels from strategic reserves on March 11 — the largest emergency action in its history.
Birol confirmed further releases were under consideration and said consultations with governments across Europe, Asia, and North America were ongoing. He called for demand-side policies including remote work, lower speed limits, and reduced commercial aviation. He met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and said Australia, as a member of the UN Security Council, could play an important role in advancing this agenda.
Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to reopen the strait expired without result, and Tehran threatened retaliatory strikes on US and allied energy and water infrastructure. Birol concluded that the UN Security Council needed to treat the global energy emergency caused by the Iran war as a direct threat to international peace and security — because that was precisely what it was. He called for an emergency session to address the situation without delay.