# UAE oil chief says the Strait of Hormuz is still not fully open after ceasefire

*Event date: 2026-04-09*

The Strait of Hormuz is “not open” and Iran is still controlling access to the passage after a ceasefire, according to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company chief Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber.

The warning, reported on 2026-04-09, comes from one of the region’s most important energy executives and underscores how fragile the shipping picture around the strait remains. Al Jaber demanded a full reopening of the waterway and said disruption to oil supply would increase if Iran continues to control the passage.

The Strait of Hormuz matters because it is one of the world’s key energy chokepoints. Even limited restrictions can affect tanker schedules, raise freight costs and alter market expectations about how quickly crude can move out of the Gulf. By describing the strait as effectively still closed, Al Jaber is signaling that the post-ceasefire environment has not restored normal commercial conditions.

The report does not provide a detailed technical assessment of the shipping lane, nor does it describe the exact mechanism by which Iran is allegedly restricting traffic. It does, however, make clear that the UAE side sees the situation as unresolved and dangerous. That makes the comment more than a routine market observation; it is a public call for the route to be normalized.

Energy executives usually avoid language that could sound overly political, so Al Jaber’s phrasing is notable. By warning that the disruption will increase if access remains controlled, he links maritime access directly to the stability of regional supply. In practical terms, that means producers and buyers alike have an incentive to keep the passage open.

The evidence packet does not include a response from Iran, from shipping authorities or from other Gulf states. It also does not explain how the ceasefire altered the wider conflict. Because of that, the article has to remain centered on the UAE executive’s statement and the market risk it implies.

Still, the message is easy to read. The calm needed for Gulf trade has not fully returned, and the passage through Hormuz remains a central vulnerability. If the strait is not reopened in a durable way, the energy consequences could extend well beyond the region.

For now, Al Jaber’s warning is a reminder that even after a ceasefire, strategic waterways can remain contested in practice. The statement puts pressure on whoever controls access to demonstrate that commercial traffic can resume without further disruption. The statement matters because it comes from an executive tied directly to the region’s energy system rather than from a political actor. That gives the warning additional weight in markets that track shipping and supply risks minute by minute. If access remains constrained, the price effect could be felt well beyond the Gulf, especially by buyers already sensitive to any interruption in crude flows.

The warning also lands in a region where energy supply chains are already under intense scrutiny, so even a short-lived access problem can have outsized effects. The source does not quantify the duration of the restriction, but its emphasis on Iran controlling access suggests the issue is not simply about one tanker movement. If the situation persists, traders and refiners will likely treat it as a risk factor rather than a passing disturbance.