New York, May 1 -- United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the longer it is choked, "the higher the cost to humanity."

"My message is clear: Open the Strait. Let all ships pass. Let the global economy breathe again," he said on Thursday.

The world may face the "spectre of a global recession" if the freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is not restored by the end of this year, UN chief Guterres told media personnel in New York.

In the scenario where "severe disruptions persist through the end of the year, inflation skyrockets past 6%, growth plummets to 2%, immense suffering takes hold, especially among the world's most vulnerable populations," the UN Se...