Follow-up – INA
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized on Friday the necessity of ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open to navigation.
In a statement reported by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Rutte said, "We are making progress in increasing overall spending on the Alliance's armed forces and upgrading our defense industries." He added, "The Alliance will remain united in the face of our enemies, and our response to any attempt to target us will be devastating."
He further stated, "We face real threats, and we reaffirm our continued support for Ukraine." He noted that "the Alliance's foreign ministers agreed on the necessity of allowing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and we will provide support."
Rutte explained, "We intend to provide support to the countries of the region to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. It is important that countries cooperate on plans to ensure the Strait remains open to shipping." He emphasized that "Iran's direct aggression against freedom of navigation affects us all."