Situation in Middle East has direct impact on global security - Latvian president

RIGA - The situation in the Middle East region has a direct impact on global security, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said during a meeting with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi at Riga Castle on Friday.

As the president's spokesman Martins Dregeris told LETA, during the meeting, the officials discussed bilateral relations between the countries, as well as exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Rinkevics affirmed Latvia's interest in deepening political and economic cooperation with Jordan, as well as strengthening security and defense cooperation.

Discussing the current security situation in the Middle East region and international efforts to stabilize it, as well as the need to address the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Latvian president said that Iran should not be allowed to continue its aggression and threaten international trade routes.

The president appreciated Jordan's support for Ukraine, including in international organizations. Rinkevics also expressed his appreciation for security cooperation between Jordan and Ukraine, which shows that Ukraine has become a security provider for the countries of the Middle East, while being engaged in active warfare.

As reported, Iran has been at war with the US and Israel since February 28. A fragile ceasefire has been in force since April 8.

Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the war. The US began to block Iranian ports after the failure of US-Iranian talks in Pakistan.