Brussels, April 8
European leaders on Wednesday welcomed the two-week ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran while expressing the readiness of European Union to support ongoing efforts for peace in the Middle East.
European Council President Antonio Costa urged all parties to uphold terms of the ceasefire to achieve sustainable peace in the region and expressed EU's support for bringing peace in the Middle East.
"I welcome the announcement by the United States and Iran of a two-week ceasefire. I urge all parties to uphold its terms in order to achieve sustainable peace in the region. The EU stands ready to support ongoing efforts and remains in close contact with its partners in the region. I thank Pakistan and all other parties involved in facilitating this agreement," Costa stated on X.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned that the ceasefire agreement agreed by the US and Iran brings "much needed de-escalation". She stressed the importance of negotiations to bringing an enduring solution to the conflict.
"I welcome the two-week ceasefire the US and Iran agreed last night. It brings much-needed de-escalation," Leyen posted on X. " Now it is crucial that negotiations for an enduring solution to this conflict continue. We will continue coordinating with our partners to this end," she added.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas termed the Iran-US ceasefire agreement a "step back from the brink after weeks of escalation." She called for the opening of Strait of Hormuz for passage.
"The US-Iran agreement on a ceasefire is a step back from the brink after weeks of escalation. It creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping, and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement. The Strait of Hormuz must be open for passage again," Kallas posted on X.
The EU leaders statement came after US President Donald Trump stepped back from the brink of a major military escalation with Iran, announcing a conditional two-week pause in planned attacks tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a development that came as a big relief to people across the world.
The decision came 90 minutes before the self-imposed 8 pm EST Tuesday deadline set by Trump for Iran to reach a deal, after backchannel diplomacy.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday (local time), said he would "suspend" an escalation of attacks for two weeks if Iran agrees to open the key shipping route.
- IANS
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