March 6 (UPI) -- Global shipping giant Maersk announced Friday it was temporarily halting two key routes linking the Middle East and Gulf region with the Far East and destinations in Europe as a precautionary step due to what it described as "the escalating" Iran conflict. The company said in a news advisory that following an assessment of the risks to shipping in the Gulf region and an operational review, it had taken the decision "as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our