EU warns Iran against closing Strait of Hormuz
The European Union has issued a warning to Iran against any attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear infrastructure.
"Closing the Strait of Hormuz by Iran would be very dangerous and not good for anyone," said EU High Representative Kaja Kallas on Monday, ahead of a meeting with foreign ministers from the 27 member states in Brussels.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean, is a major artery for international oil and natural gas traffic. Closing the Strait would have a significant impact on global trade and the economy.
Kallas noted that EU foreign ministers are “very concerned about retaliation and an escalation of the war” in the Middle East. She reaffirmed that diplomacy remains the only viable path to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"Israel has breached its human rights obligations"
In the same meeting, ministers were also set to review a report prepared by Kallas on Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. The report concludes that Israel has breached its human rights obligations under the association agreement with the EU.
Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares called for the immediate suspension of that agreement. However, such a move would require unanimity among EU member states. German minister Johann Wadephul quickly made it clear that Berlin would not support such a decision.
"We need this agreement and must not question it in any way," said Wadephul, while also emphasising the need for Israel to urgently improve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. He described Israel as “the democratic constitutional state” in the Middle East and underlined the importance of maintaining “good relations.”
While more forceful measures, such as trade restrictions or suspending Israeli participation in European research programmes, could be enacted without unanimity, Kallas downplayed the possibility of immediate action. “We will discuss what we do next with this,” she said.
Straight of Hormuz © PHOTO MERISSA DALEY / US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE / AFP
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