BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. The Iranian conflict should be resolved through negotiations, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, told reporters during her visit to Australia, TurkicWorld reports.
"It's extremely important that we find a negotiated solution, a solution that puts an end to the military clashes that we are witnessing today in the Middle East," von der Leyen noted during a joint speech with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra.
Leyen said that some EU countries are preparing to provide assistance within the framework of a "mission" to protect the Strait of Hormuz after the war is over.
"We are all feeling the indirect effects on gas and oil prices, our businesses, and our societies. The trade route is of vital importance for global energy supply lines," she added.
Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States and Iran over the nuclear program, the U.S. and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day.
On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Supreme Leader by majority vote.
From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East.
The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the region’s energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region.
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