00:01The European Commission has firmly rejected any attempt by Iran or the United States
00:07to charge vessels for crossing the Strait of Hormuz while admitting the final decision
00:12on whether to pay a fee is entirely at the discretion of affected companies.
00:18The straight line and the Strait of Hormuz, like any other maritime lane,
00:23is a public good for all humanity.
00:27Which means what? Which means that the navigation must be free.
00:32Again, freedom of navigation must be ensured.
00:34We can turn it in any way that you would appreciate.
00:39But again, the law is clear. Freedom of navigation is a public good and needs to be ensured.
00:45The pushback comes after US President Donald Trump steered concern across Europe
00:49by suggesting a joint venture with Tehran to impose a pay-to-pass system on the waterway,
00:55which is vital for the transit of oil, gas and fertiliser supplies.
01:00On Thursday, confusion continued to reign over Hormuz,
01:03with traffic data showing that only a handful of ships had managed to sail through.
01:08An estimated 2,000 ships and 20,000 seafarers remain trapped in the Persian Gulf.
01:14Thank you very much.
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