UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged all parties to respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The call comes as tensions escalate after Iran and the United States disrupted traffic through the strategic waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime artery carrying roughly a fifth of global oil and gas, has become a volatile geopolitical fault line.
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the disruptions are deepening global economic fragility and spreading insecurity across multiple sectors.
The remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s order to impose a blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports after failed weekend talks.
Iran had already restricted movement through the strait after US-Israeli strikes began on February 28, sharply tightening maritime access.
Dujarric warned that around 20,000 seafarers are now stranded at sea, facing growing hardship as the standoff intensifies.
The trapped vessels have turned the world’s shipping lanes into a stage of silent tension and uncertainty.
Guterres also called for continued peace talks and urged all sides to preserve the ceasefire without further violations.