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Restoring traffic in Strait of Hormuz is of 'paramount' importance, von der Leyen says

Her remarks followed Trump saying US would blockade maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports

Reuters April 13, 2026 1 min read

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, April 13, 2026.PHOTO: REUTERS

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that ‌restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz was of "paramount" importance.

Her remarks came after US President Donald Trump said the United States would begin a blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas after a breakdown in talks.

"The ongoing closure of ‌the ⁠Strait of Hormuz is greatly damaging. The restoration of the freedom of navigation is of paramount ⁠importance for us," she said. She added that there could be ⁠no stability in the Middle East while Lebanon ⁠was still being bombarded.

The US military said it will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, after weekend talks failed to reach a deal to end the war with Iran, jeopardising ‌a fragile two-week ceasefire.

https://t.co/YAFhMBm7hA
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 12, 2026

The US Central Command said that the US blockade, starting at 10am ET on Monday (7pm PKT), would be "enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman."

Vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports will not be impeded, the US military said. Additional information would be ⁠provided to commercial mariners through a formal notice before the start of the blockade, it said.

Trump said on Sunday that US forces would also intercept every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.

"No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas," Trump wrote on social media, adding: "Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!"

He added that the US Navy will begin destroying mines that the Iranians had dropped in the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for about 20% of global energy supplies.