Despite considering Iran a “serious threat”, the Foreign Minister guarantees that Portugal “is not and will not be involved” in the conflict
The Minister of Foreign Affairs guaranteed this Monday that Portugal will not participate militarily in the , arguing that any solution must involve diplomacy and the reduction of tensions in the region. Paulo Rangel was speaking to journalists in Brussels, where he reiterated that the Portuguese position “has been known since the beginning” and has not changed.
“Obviously, there is no involvement in this conflict. That has been our position since the beginning and we maintain it,” he clarified.
According to the head of Portuguese diplomacy, all initiatives that allow the reopening of the strait and guaranteeing freedom of navigation are positive, but must occur mainly at the political and diplomatic level.
“Everything that can be done to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and allow freedom of navigation is positive. There are a lot of things that can be done on a political and diplomatic level and that is where Portugal is and will also be, I believe, the European Union.”
Paulo Rangel highlighted that this strategy excludes any Portuguese military participation in the region. “This does not imply a change in military resources for the region and especially for the Strait of Hormuz. (…) Portugal is not and will not be involved in this conflict”, he reinforced.
Despite defending the negotiating route, Rangel criticized Iran’s behavior, which he classified as a “serious threat”.
According to the minister, Iranian attacks against neighboring countries that were not directly involved in the conflict demonstrate the dangerousness of the regime.
“A state that responds in this way against states that were not involved is a very dangerous state. The Iranian regime has proven to be a dangerous country,” he said, adding that it is Tehran that is contributing to “escalating the conflict.”
The statements come at a time when United States President Donald Trump has to help ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategic maritime routes for transporting oil.
Several allied countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece and Japan, have already refused any direct military involvement in the region.
