German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told fellow leaders that the EU is willing to gradually ease sanctions on Iran in the event a comprehensive agreement is reached, according to the Reuters news agency.
“It is, so to speak, part of the contribution we can make to advance this process and, hopefully, lead to a lasting ceasefire,” Merz said.
AFP is reporting comments from European Council President Antonio Costa, who said the Strait of Hormuz must “immediately reopen without restrictions and without tolling”, adding that this is “vital for the entire world”.
Speaking before the meeting, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that the world could end up with a more dangerous Iran if talks did not produce as strong an agreement as the 2015 Iran nuclear deal President Trump withdrew from during his first term.