Gulf-European statement: Rejection of any claims to sovereignty or control over the Strait of Hormuz by any state, and opposition to any transit fees or charges for services on navigation
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union condemned the attacks carried out by Iran against Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman, and Jordan, as well as the attacks launched by Iran on international navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Arabian Gulf. They called for an immediate halt to these violations and full compliance with international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817.
This came in a statement issued yesterday following the conclusion of the High-Level Forum on Regional Security in Brussels, which was held on the 13th of the current month under a joint chairmanship by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council, and Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The statement emphasized that these Iranian attacks and assaults have endangered the lives of civilians and sailors, violated international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, and cannot be justified under any circumstances.
It continued, “We express our full solidarity with the countries affected by these attacks and with sailors of all nationalities who have been put at risk,” stressing that any attack on the security of one state constitutes a concern for all parties that rely on the safety of this vital waterway.
The GCC-EU statement reaffirmed that freedom of navigation, including the right of transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz as an international strait, is guaranteed under international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Ships of all states enjoy these rights, and no state may suspend, hinder, or subject them to any conditions. In this context, it stressed the rejection of any claims of sovereignty or control over the Strait of Hormuz by any state as illegitimate, as well as the rejection of any system of permits, transit fees, or service charges on international navigation. It added, “No bilateral arrangement, understanding, or memorandum between states may unlawfully regulate or restrict the right of transit passage through an international strait, a right guaranteed to all states under international law and not subject to the control or permission of any state.”
The statement called on Iran to immediately and unconditionally cease all attacks and all forms of interference with maritime navigation, to keep the Strait of Hormuz open continuously without any conditions, transit fees, or service charges, and to fully comply with international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2817.
It affirmed its rejection of any unilateral or illegitimate mechanism or arrangement that affects the safety of passage through the strait, urging states to work within the framework of competent international and regional institutions governing the governance, safety, and security of maritime navigation, and to support them, particularly the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
It confirmed that the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council will continue close coordination to safeguard freedom of navigation, support the protection of international shipping and sailors, and promote just and lasting peace and security in the region, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter. It added, “We continue to call for restraint and renew our firm commitment to dialogue and diplomacy as the means to resolve the crisis and ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
