Callas Outlines a Way to End the Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz: Details
16 March 16:22
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has proposed ending Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz through a diplomatic agreement similar to the Ukrainian grain deal.
This was reported by Reuters, according to [Komersant].
At a press conference in Brussels on the eve of the EU foreign ministers’ summit, Kallas said she had already discussed a possible model for such an agreement with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. According to her, an agreement with Tehran would help restore the transport of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, which is of key importance for global energy supplies.
Kaja Kallas separately noted that Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz not only threatens a fuel crisis but could also lead to a shortage of agricultural fertilizers and, as a result, to a food shortage in 2027.
EU to Consider Military Option to Lift Blockade
According to Kallas, participants in the meeting of EU foreign ministers on March 16 will also discuss a military option to overcome the blockade. Specifically, this involves expanding the mandate of the EU’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea. Since February 2024, EU warships have been escorting European merchant ships and helping to fend off potential threats of shelling by the Houthis.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has already stated that he is skeptical of the idea of expanding the Aspides mandate. According to him, the EU mission in the Red Sea has proven ineffective, and expanding it to the Strait of Hormuz would only drag Europe into an open conflict with Iran.
Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
On the morning of February 28, the U.S. and Israel began striking targets in Iran, after which the authorities in Tehran effectively blocked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital route for oil and gas supplies—and Iran declared “full control” over it. This led to a rise in energy prices, prompting the U.S., in particular, to temporarily ease sanctions against Russia.
Washington accused Tehran of mining the strait, and according to The Financial Times, some EU countries are negotiating with Iranian authorities to secure guarantees for the safe passage of their ships through it.
