The president of TotalEnergies, a French oil giant, Patrick Pouyanne, said that if the war in the Middle East continues for more than six months, the global economy will suffer a "real blow".

The AFP reported that Pouyanne said on Sunday (March 22) during an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN): "If the war lasts more than six months, we will face some real impacts. The economies of all countries will be damaged."

Iran, in retaliation for the air strikes by the United States and Israel, actually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, severely restricting global oil supply and causing governments around the world to worry about rising inflation and slowing economic growth.

Pouyanne pointed out that during peacetime, about 20% of the world's oil production is transported through the Strait of Hormuz. But "currently, 10 million barrels of oil cannot leave the Persian Gulf every day", and "we cannot find these oils anywhere else on the planet".

Pouyanne was interviewed in Beijing while attending the China Development Forum. He said: "If this conflict lasts for three or four months, we can still bear it. Now we can alleviate this impact because we have sufficient reserves."

But he warned that if the conflict lasts more than six months, it will cause a heavy blow to the global economy. "So, I hope we can find a way to end this war as soon as possible."