The European Commission has stressed that diplomacy remains the only path to resolving "outstanding" issues involving Iran and the US, urging all parties to fully respect the ceasefire despite renewed hostilities and US President Donald Trump's remarks suggesting the truce is over.
"It is clear that only and only diplomacy can bring about a sustainable solution to all outstanding issues," European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni told reporters at a press briefing on Wednesday in Brussels.
"It is crucial that all actors fully respect the ceasefire, implement UN Security Council Resolution 2817, and refrain from actions that endanger the ongoing diplomatic process," he said.
Asked whether the EU still considers the ceasefire to be in effect after Trump's comments, he said: "I think our position is quite clear and does not leave any room for confusion. It is crucial that all actors fully respect the ceasefire."
The remarks came after the US launched fresh attacks on Iran and Trump said the ceasefire with Tehran was “over,” heightening concerns that the region could face renewed conflict.
6,000 seafarers remain stranded
The head of the International Maritime Organization on Wednesday called for "maximum restraint and de-escalation" as almost 6,000 seafarers remained stranded in the Persian Gulf amid fresh US-Iran attacks.
"These attacks further intensify the fear, uncertainty and psychological strain already being endured by the nearly 6,000 seafarers who remain stranded on board vessels unable to depart the Persian Gulf safely," IMO secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.
US President Donald Trump earlier on Wednesday said the US-Iran ceasefire was over, though he left the door open to more talks, after fighting sparked by Iranian attacks on ships in the vital Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic shipping route remains a flashpoint in the conflict, which began in late February with massive US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Tehran insists on controlling the waterway, saying it will charge fees for passage and threatening to hit vessels that deviate from its authorised route.
Its military has struck at least three ships in recent days, prompting extensive US strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday, followed by retaliatory attacks from Iran on Gulf countries.
"I condemn the attacks over the past two days against several ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz," Dominguez said, adding that "innocent seafarers" are "in grave danger".
He called on "all States concerned to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate the situation without delay, and facilitate the safe departure of the ships still trapped in the Gulf since the crisis began.
"The safety of seafarers must remain our foremost priority," he stressed.
