European Union leaders have emphasised that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is "non-negotiable" during their second consecutive day of meetings in Cyprus.

Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called on the sidelines of the meeting, which discussed the economic and security implications of developments in the Middle East, for strengthening the European military presence in the region to ensure the security of maritime passages.

She warned that holding talks focused solely on the nuclear file without the presence of nuclear experts at the negotiating table could result in a new nuclear agreement with Iran that may be weaker than the 2015 agreement concluded between Iran and the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany, in addition to the European Union, which stipulated restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme.