Kallas calls for free passage through the Strait of Hormuz

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The talks covered diplomatic ways to end the war between the United States and Iran and to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.

Writing on X after the meeting, Kallas said that once the conflict ends, vessels should not have to pay for passage through the strait. She recalled that no fees or duties were charged before the war and stressed that shipping through both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, must be "free and unimpeded."

Kallas also said she raised the issue of internal repression in Iran with Araghchi, pointing to a sharp increase in the number of executions and death sentences.

Talks run parallel to US-Iran contacts

The meeting with her Iranian counterpart took place as indirect talks between US and Iranian representatives were also under way on the sidelines of the Assembly. The American side was represented by special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while Araghchi led the Iranian delegation. According to Witkoff, the sides "successfully completed a round of discussions," with another expected soon.

In his address to the General Assembly, US President Donald Trump said he would soon have to make a "big decision" on whether to strike a deal with Iran, though the gap between the two sides' positions remains significant.

Iran's parliament has approved rules imposing fines on vessels crossing the strait without permission, contradicting Kallas's call for fee-free passage. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi forces have intensified attacks on Saudi Arabia, opening a second front in the war that began in February.