Former US secretary of state says oil shock driven by war in Iran highlights dangers of reliance on fossil fuels
Middle East crisis live – latest updates
Countries must seek energy independence through renewable resources and nuclear energy for their national security, and to avoid the “choke points” of fossil fuel supply, the former US secretary of state John Kerry has warned.
The war in Iran has sent oil prices soaring, as refineries and fields have closed down in several Middle Eastern countries and many tankers are stranded in the strait of Hormuz, with economic impacts beginning to be felt around the world.
“The key takeaway here is that it has emphasised, again, the degree to which fuel – oil and gas, particularly – is a security challenge. Energy independence is even more important going forward, because you don’t want to be the prisoner of a choke point or your economy being greatly disrupted as a result of that,” he told the Guardian.
