NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaking to Fox News Sunday
“I know the President was angry because he feels that European and other allies have been too slow,” Rutte said in an interview with Fox News Sunday.
“The good news here is that since Thursday, a group of 22 countries, most of them from NATO but also Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, UAE and Bahrain, most of the other countries from NATO coming together to implement his vision of making sure that the Strait of Hormuz is free, is opening up as soon as is possible,” he added.
Rutte said the countries involved will also need “to work through what is needed, when it is needed, and how we will make this together as soon as the time is ripe to get this done, to make sure that the Strait of Hormuz opens up.”
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum on Saturday, demanding that Tehran reopen the strait, warning on his social media platform, Truth Social, that the US would otherwise “hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”
Rutte reaffirmed Sunday that NATO will “always come together” and that it is “only logical that European countries needed a couple of weeks” to rally around plans to reopen the strait, as they were not given notice before the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
“What do we need? When do we need it? And where do we need it? These three questions are now worked through to answer the president’s call, to make sure that we secure the free sailing through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said on CBS.
Iran has insisted that the waterway remains open to vessels not linked to the US and Israeli war on the country.
In a post on X on Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Minister wrote, “The Strait of Hormuz is not closed. Ships hesitate because insurers fear the war of choice you initiated—not Iran." “No insurer—and no Iranian—will be swayed by more threats. Try respect,” he said.
“Freedom of Navigation cannot exist without Freedom of Trade. Respect both—or expect neither,” Araghchi stated.
In his statements to FOX, Rutte praised Trump’s efforts, saying it was not only necessary but “crucial that the President of the US is doing this.”
In separate remarks to CBS Face the Nation, Rutte said, “I understand the president's frustration that it takes some time, but, again, I also ask for some understanding, because nations had to prepare for this not knowing, and for good reasons, about the initial attack on Iran.”
Leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK condemned the closure of the strait in a letter on Thursday, writing, “We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.”
On Friday, Trump lambasted NATO in a post on his Truth Social: “Without the USA., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices.”
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