The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have formally rejected any state's claims to sovereignty or control over the Strait of Hormuz. In a joint statement issued following the High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation in Brussels, the two blocs declared that any attempt to impose permits or fees on international shipping through the strategic waterway is unlawful.
Co-chaired by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, the forum emphasized that the right of passage is guaranteed to all nations under international law. The statement asserted that no bilateral arrangement or memorandum between states can lawfully restrict this right, nor can the passage be subjected to the authorization or control of any single state.
Reaffirming principles established by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the EU and GCC stated that ships of all nations enjoy the right of navigation, which no state may obstruct, suspend, or condition. Furthermore, the two blocs condemned in the strongest terms recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strait and on the sovereign territories of various regional countries.
According to the joint declaration, these attacks violated international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, endangering the lives of seafarers and civilians. The blocs maintained that such actions cannot be justified under any circumstances. They called upon Iran to immediately and unconditionally cease all interference with maritime navigation and to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open without transit fees or service charges.
Expressing full solidarity with the affected countries and sailors, the EU and GCC stressed that the security of this vital waterway is a shared concern. The two sides concluded by calling for restraint and reaffirming their commitment to diplomacy and dialogue to uphold freedom of navigation.
