Spain proposes EU peace mission for Lebanon after ceasefire

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called Monday for a European Union peace mission to replace the UN force in Lebanon, saying a recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran must be "the first step" toward wider stability in the Middle East. Albares, speaking at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire but insisted it must extend beyond the Gulf region. "We need to guarantee the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon," Albares said. "The European Union can play a fundamental role there. I will propose an EU mission to take over from UNIFIL once its mandate expires this year." UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, has been in the country since 1978. Albares also stressed that any agreement must ensure safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, without any economic charges for any country. He added that negotiations should guarantee Iran's right to civilian nuclear energy while preventing it from acquiring a nuclear bomb. "Europe played a very important role in the past when we reached an agreement that ensured Iran would not use nuclear energy for a bomb," he said. When asked if Spain would send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, Albares called the current agreement "still incipient." On the issue of sanctions against Israel, Albares said Spain has "repeatedly put them on the table. Now is the time to vote and see if there is a qualified majority." He noted that for products from illegal settlements, "only compliance with international law and the opinions of the International Court of Justice is needed."