US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urges IEA to release oil reserves: Iran war poses major oil supply crisis
March 11, 2026:
The Iran war has caused the biggest disruption to global oil supplies ever. Most tankers are refusing to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, fearing attacks from Iran. To address this crisis, US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has appealed to the International Energy Agency (IEA) to immediately release oil reserves.
Watch Sensible Energy Policies Will Help Win the AI Race, Burgum Says - BloombergIn an interview with Fox News, Burgum said, "This is precisely the time to use such reserves. There is no global energy shortage, but rather a temporary transit problem. We are addressing this militarily and diplomatically and will continue to do so. Therefore, it is the right time to release some reserves to ease pressure on global prices."
The IEA has called an emergency meeting and, according to sources, is proposing to release 400 million barrels of oil – the largest such move in the organization's history. The IEA's 32 member countries have a total of 1.2 billion barrels of reserves.
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae also announced that Tokyo will release its stockpiled oil from Monday.
Shutdown of Hormuz Strait raises fears of soaring oil pricesImportance of the Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, through which about 20% of global oil consumption passed before the war. Now, the passage has been virtually closed due to fears of tankers, causing oil prices to skyrocket and increasing pressure on the global economy.
Energy Secretary Deletes Post Claiming U.S. Navy Escorted Oil Tanker Through Strait of HormuzBurgum says the problem is temporary and will be resolved soon, but until then it is necessary to use IEA reserves to control prices.
IEA Strategic Oil Reserve Release: Global Coordination GuideThe crisis reflects an escalation of the Middle East conflict, where tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran have now spilled over into the energy market. Experts believe oil prices could rise further if action is not taken soon.
(Source: CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, NHK, Al Jazeera – March 2026)
What are your thoughts? Should the IEA issue such a large release or should it explore other avenues? Let us know in the comments!
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