EU’s Costa Urges Pezeshkian to End Strikes on Neighbors and Restore Hormuz Navigation

European Council President António Costa met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23. Costa said he called for an end to Iran's strikes against its neighbors and the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and urged Iran to resume its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. He said the EU stands ready to support all ongoing diplomatic efforts. Pezeshkian said Europeans had deprived themselves of a role in the region by standing behind the United States, citing their actions on the nuclear deal's snapback sanctions, and said regional security is the responsibility of the region's own states.