European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to lift the sanctions on Syria’s Interior and Defense ministers, according to Asharq Al Awsat.
“We also agreed to lift the sanctions on Syria’s interior and defense ministers,” EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said after a remarkable meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
EU foreign ministers had also agreed to restore trade ties with Syria, reviving a cooperation agreement after years of suspension when an uprising against then-president Bashar Al-Assad escalated into a 14-year civil war that tore Syria apart.
Kallas further noted that the EU is preparing to “frontload” security and defense cooperation in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions in the region.
She highlighted that the situation remains highly fragile following recent developments involving Iran.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership and triggering a new conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has been responding with a retaliatory counterattack in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi as a retaliatory move, while launching barrages of missiles and drones toward Israel.
The conflict has spread across the Middle East, leaving thousands dead, triggering unprecedented disruptions to energy supplies especially after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The adversaries remain locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran tightens its control over maritime traffic while the United States continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports.
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