The US and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries called Thursday for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that free navigation through the strategic waterway remains “essential” to regional and global security. In a joint statement issued after a US-GCC ministerial meeting in Bahrain’s capital of Manama, the two sides emphasized the importance of reopening the strait, saying “free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation,” including the right of transit passage under international law, remains “essential to regional and global security.” The statement said the ministers rejected “any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control” over the Strait of Hormuz. The ministers also stressed the need to maintain “momentum and unity” as negotiations between the US and Iran proceed toward a more permanent […]