Greece is open to joining a UN-backed naval mission to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Kyr...

Greece is open to joining a UN-backed naval mission to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Friday after the European Council summit in Brussels. Mitsotakis framed free passage through the strait as the single most important outcome of the recent Iran-US agreement, saying the goal was a full return to pre-conflict conditions where ships could move through freely with no fees or restrictions imposed on them. He set one clear condition for Greek participation: any mission would need a UN Security Council mandate to give it international legitimacy. Greece has already raised the issue at the UN and has been supporting maritime security efforts in the region. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical chokepoints, with roughly a fifth of global oil supply passing through it. Greek shipping interests are directly exposed to any disruption there, making the security of that corridor a major economic concern for the country. Mitsotakis also touched on several European issues on the sidelines of the summit, including negotiations over the EU's next long-term budget, migration policy, and energy prices. He pushed for cohesion and agricultural funding to be protected in the budget talks, welcomed progress on migrant returns, and said falling fuel prices should help bring down inflation in the months ahead. #Greece #Mitsotakis #HormuzStrait