As IMF was looking to lift up the global growth forecast in 2026 the war in the Middle East halted this momentum. The closing of the Strait of Hormuz and serious damage to critical energy facilities in the Middle East raise the prospect of a major energy crisis should a durable solution not be found soon, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department IMF told its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) launch held on April 14, in