The European Union is ready to facilitate de-escalation between Iran and the United States and a return to the negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, according to a joint statement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa out on Monday.
"The European Union is a long-standing, reliable partner for the region in these difficult moments and is ready to contribute in every possible way to help deescalate the situation and facilitate the return to the negotiating table. Although the international rules-based order is under stress, we firmly believe that dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable way forward," the statement released following an online meeting with the heads of state of the Gulf countries read.
The leaders also discussed the implications of attacks on energy infrastructure and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for global energy security and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation with partners in the Middle East to mitigate these risks, according to the statement.
The leaders of Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman attended the online meeting with von der Leyen and Costa.
