"The Strait of Hormuz, like any other maritime lane, is a public good for all humanity, which means navigation must be free. Freedom of navigation must be restored," El Anouni said at a press conference in Brussels.
The full opening of this vital waterway through the Strait of Hormuz is a key point of contention ahead of negotiations between the US and Iran, scheduled to begin on Friday in Pakistan.
Data from the maritime monitoring unit MarineTraffic on Thursday recorded the first instance of a foreign oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz since the two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US was announced the day before. The Gabonese-flagged MSG transited the Strait of Hormuz, carrying 7,000 tons of oil from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and was en route to Aegis Pipavav, India.
According to maritime monitoring data, the Strait of Hormuz has not been fully reopened since the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran came into effect. More than 800 ships are being stranded there.
