Abu Dhabi (UAE)

President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday ahead of his two-day visit to UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Costa said that he came with a message of "full solidarity in the face of Iran's indiscriminate, unjustifiable, and unlawful attacks."

In a post on X, he said, "I am in Abu Dhabi ahead of a two-day tour of the UAE, KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), and Qatar, today and tomorrow. I come with three messages for our Gulf partners: We stand in full solidarity in the face of Iran's indiscriminate, unjustifiable, and unlawful attacks; We are a reliable partner for the Gulf countries and are ready to contribute; By working together, we can support a comprehensive strategy for lasting peace in the Middle East through negotiation and diplomacy."

Earlier on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has underscored the critical need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, describing the restoration of maritime access as a top priority for the international community.

Highlighting the severe economic and logistical consequences of the current blockade, the EU President stated, "The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is greatly damaging."

As regional tensions continue to impact global trade routes, von der Leyen called for immediate efforts to ensure the unhindered movement of vessels through the strategic waterway. "The restoration of the freedom of navigation is of paramount importance for us," she said.

READ MORE: Dr Asima Banu chose the roads less taken in medicine and leadership

This call for maritime stability comes as the crisis escalated sharply after US President Donald Trump declared a naval blockade on all vessels entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows the collapse of negotiations between American and Iranian delegations.

Issuing the directive after the talks failed, Trump stated, "Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the finest in the world, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz."