There is no appetite among EU countries to change the mandate of the EU's naval operation Aspides so that it can protect civilian ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This is what EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said at a press conference after the foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday.
- The EU already has a naval operation in the Red Sea, and there was a clear desire to strengthen the Aspides mission with new capabilities. But there was no appetite to change the mandate so that Aspides can operate in the Strait of Hormuz, says Kaja Kallas.
The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump said that NATO is looking at a very bad future if US allies cannot help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, this has not been enough to convince the EU countries:
- It is not our war, and there is no desire among the EU countries to contribute actively to the war, says Kaja Kallas.
Hope for a diplomatic solution
Instead, the EU is expected to continue working on a diplomatic solution. It may open the way for European ships to be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, because the EU is not directly involved in the US and Israel's attack on Iran.
- We are working on a diplomatic solution. But it is important to say that there are many layers to a solution when it comes to shipping, says Kaja Kallas.
She points out that it is not enough to "simply" reach an agreement with Iran not to attack European ships.
- Because insurance companies also read newspapers, and when they see a risk, the price of insuring the ships increases. And when it comes to the crew of the ships, their captains will only sail through the strait if they are sure that they will not put their crew in danger, says Kaja Kallas.
According to a senior EU official, the EU has maintained diplomatic lines to the Iranian regime despite the attacks by the US and Israel.
- We have always had diplomatic channels to Iran. Even in very difficult times. But right now it is very difficult, says the EU official, who speaks on condition of anonymity.
That is why the EU is also focusing a large part of its diplomatic efforts on talking to the parties in the region in an attempt to secure shipping traffic and to defuse and preferably completely end the conflict.
However, the decision actually lies with Trump, who, together with Israel, initiated the war on Saturday, February 28, with extensive airstrikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has now taken over as Iran's supreme religious leader and the supreme political leader. More than two weeks of bombings have thus not been enough to overthrow the Iranian regime.
- It is very easy to start wars, but it is very difficult to stop them, says Kaja Kallas.
/ritzau/
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