The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, announced on Monday 17 June that Europeans wanted to help calm the situation in Gulf of Oman.
Two oil tankers – one Japanese, the other Norwegian – were targeted on 13 June, one month after four ships were struck. The United States has accused Iran of being behind the attacks. The EU urged restraint on 14 June, claiming that the region does not need to be further destabilised.
"A common approach that all Member States have expressed is to try to concentrate all our actions, our diplomatic work to try to avoid an escalation (of tensions) and, in fact, to help calm (the situation)", she revealed at the end of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, without giving more details.
"What we would not want to see is a military escalation in the region", she explained, again calling for maximum restraint and calm. According to her, the region has reached the "stress test limit”.
Upon their arrival in the EU Council, the ministers also expressed their concern and called for an investigation into the attack. They did not want to incriminate Iran, as the United States has.
"If the Secretary General of the United Nations (Antonio Guterres) asks for an investigation, I think we should follow him. The United Nations Security Council must follow him," Luxembourg Minister Jean Asselborn pleaded, adding that he would not launch into any hypotheses. According to him, "one cannot say that such or such is responsible, without being certain”.
“The main task of foreign ministers is to avoid war", he added, warning against the repetition of diplomatic missteps that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
For Latvian Edgar Rinkevics, "we must establish proven facts". "Let's have all the details first. We must have all the evidence first", said Finnish Minister Pekka Haavisto, adding that if it were a "state-sponsored" action, the situation is "really serious".
Romanian Minister Teodor Malescanu said that if Iran was behind the attack, it could affect relations between the country and the EU, but that, so far, Iran had denied having a role in the attacks.
Only the British Deputy Minister, Harriett Baldwin, questioned Iran, saying that it was “almost certain” that Iran was behind the attack on the ships. "We are ready to ensure that this important seaway remains open to international navigation", she warned.
Ms Mogherini cautious about Iranian announcements
In addition, when asked about Iran's announcement that its reserves of enriched uranium would breach the limit set by the nuclear agreement from 27 June, Ms Mogherini said that the EU was not relying on announcements, but on facts and, therefore, on reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "So far, Iran is still in compliance with its commitments and it is hoped that it will continue (...) If the IAEA reports change, we will assess the situation" she said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)