Abu Dhabi, March 22 (Petra)-- Twenty-one countries issued a joint statement on Sunday strongly condemning recent Iranian attacks on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, as well as strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities, and what they described as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.

The statement, published on the official website of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict. It called on Iran to immediately halt its threats, mine-laying activities, and drone and missile attacks, as well as all attempts to disrupt commercial navigation in the strategic waterway. The countries also urged Tehran to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817.

The joint statement was issued by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Lithuania.

The countries emphasized that, in line with Security Council Resolution 2817, interference with international shipping and disruption of global energy supply chains constitutes a threat to international peace and security. They called for an immediate and comprehensive halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations.

In a related context, the participating nations expressed their readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, welcoming commitments by countries involved in preparatory planning in this regard.

The statement also welcomed the International Energy Agency’s decision to authorize a coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves, and affirmed that additional steps would be taken to stabilize energy markets, including cooperation with certain producing countries to increase output.

//Petra// MF