EU's Kallas warns of 'slippery slope' if Iran controls Strait of Hormuz

Episode 489 of the Beyond the Headlines podcast, hosted by The National News, titled "EU's Kallas warns of 'slippery slope' if Iran controls Strait of Hormuz" was published on April 9, 2026 and runs 10 minutes.

April 9, 2026 ·10m · Beyond the Headlines

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Summary

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on Thursday that Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz could lead down a “slippery slope” of imposing tolls and taxes over international waters, which she described as a “very dangerous development”. In an interview with The National, she pushed back against US President Donald Trump's suggestion of a “joint venture” with Iran to handle transit at the strategic strait and said the blockade had become “everybody's problem”. Iran and the US agreed on Wednesday to a two-week ceasefire after 40 days of war. Negotiations are set to begin in Pakistan this weekend to reach a comprehensive deal. However, Israel has continued its attacks on Lebanon, which Ms Kallas said should be included in the truce. In this bonus episode of Beyond the Headlines, The National's foreign editor Ali Harisi sits down with Ms Kallas to discuss the prospects of the US-Iran ceasefire and the role the EU could play in diplomacy

Episode Description

In an interview with The National, she pushed back against US President Donald Trump's suggestion of a “joint venture” with Iran to handle transit at the strategic strait and said the blockade had become “everybody's problem”.

Iran and the US agreed on Wednesday to a two-week ceasefire after 40 days of war. Negotiations are set to begin in Pakistan this weekend to reach a comprehensive deal. However, Israel has continued its attacks on Lebanon, which Ms Kallas said should be included in the truce.

In this bonus episode of Beyond the Headlines, The National's foreign editor Ali Harisi sits down with Ms Kallas to discuss the prospects of the US-Iran ceasefire and the role the EU could play in diplomacy