EU insists on free passage through Strait of Hormuz without payment

Kathmandu. The EU has stated that freedom of navigation in the 'Strait of Hormuz' must be ensured 'without any payment.' This statement from the EU comes after Iran suggested that payment would be required to allow ships to enter.

As talks are set to begin following a two-week ceasefire declared by Iran and the United States after more than a month of tension, the full reopening of the vital Gulf waterway has become a central point of contention.

"International law provides guarantees for freedom of navigation, which means there will effectively be no payment," European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said at a press conference in Brussels.

"Freedom of navigation is a public good and it is necessary to ensure it," he said. Iran has agreed to reopen the route during the two-week ceasefire period but has also spoken of establishing a toll system, which would allow it to invest in its reconstruction.

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States and Iran could operate the system as a joint venture, but the White House has called for the immediate opening of the Strait without any restrictions.

Despite the ceasefire, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains extremely limited.