In a diplomatic move to find a solution to the ban on Greek tankers trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis initiated contact with his Iranian counterpart. In a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, he requested Greece’s exemption from the restrictions, assuring the Iranian minister that Greece is not a hostile country towards Iran. However, the atmosphere emanating from Iran is not optimistic, based on reports in the Iranian press.
The Tasnim News Agency – an Iranian news agency closely linked to the Revolutionary Guards – reported yesterday that “Iran warns Greece to avoid assisting American-Israeli aggression.” Ten Greek vessels with 85 Greek sailors remain trapped in the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomatic sources told parapolitika.gr that Mr. Gerapetritis asked his Iranian counterpart to ensure their safety and allow their exit from the Strait.
The Gerapetritis-Araghchi communication
In a post on X, Iran’s Foreign Ministry wrote that “the Greek Foreign Minister expressed his deep concern about the impacts of the war, particularly its dimensions on security and economy, and expressed hope that peace and stability would return to the region as soon as possible.” Additionally, Abbas Araghchi, in his phone conversation with Mr. Gerapetritis, according to his post on X, referred to “the crimes committed by the United States and the Israeli regime during 30 days of military aggression against Iran” and called on all countries to condemn the illegal attacks and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law. As emphasized in the same post, indifference to the lawlessness and terrorist actions of the United States and Israeli regime leads to the decline of the international regulatory and moral system, and its consequences will affect all countries.
According to what was disclosed from the conversation between the two ministers, Abbas Araghchi emphasized to the Greek minister the violation of International Law, particularly noting that “based on established principles of International Law and aimed at preventing the exploitation of this waterway by aggressors and their partners to advance their illegal and aggressive goals against Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran has adopted a series of measures preventing the passage of hostile ships, while simultaneously managing the safe passage of other vessels in coordination with competent Iranian military security authorities.”
Spain receives permission for free passage through the Strait of Hormuz – the first EU country
In this context, Iran gave Spain the first permit to an EU member country for free passage through the Strait. It should be noted that Spain was among the first countries to condemn US-Israeli attacks on Iran, rejecting war as “reckless and illegal.” Indeed, in a related post, Iran’s embassy in Madrid stated that Iran considers Spain a country committed to International Law, therefore showing receptiveness to any request from Madrid. It should be noted that the Foreign Ministers of Greece and Iran cooperate within the framework of the UN Security Council where Greece serves as a non-permanent member.
