Paulo Rangel stressed that this position is shared by most member states of the European Union.

"Portugal is not, nor will it be, involved in this conflict," said Paulo Rangel, in statements to journalists after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

The Minister stated that "everything that can be done to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and allow freedom of navigation is positive."

"There are countless things that can be done on the political and diplomatic level. That is where Portugal is and, I believe, where the European Union will also be," he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that, among his EU colleagues, there is a "broad consensus" that efforts should be made to "overcome this blockage or manipulation of freedom of navigation" in the Strait of Hormuz, without resorting to any military option. “Everyone is willing, especially those with the most resources – and when I say resources, I also mean diplomatic resources – to cooperate in this regard. Now, obviously, this does not imply a change of military resources to the region and, especially, to the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Ask whether Portugal supports a possible mobilisation of the EU mission Aspides, which currently escorts commercial and merchant ships in the Red Sea, to the Strait of Hormuz. Rangel said that both this mission and Atalanta, which operates in the Indian Ocean, “could have some reinforcement.”

“But they are missions of a different type and, therefore, it is within their context that they must be seen. It is certainly not within the context of this conflict, for which these missions were not designed,” he stated.

When asked if Portugal would not respond to the challenge of US President Donald Trump, who warned that NATO would have a “very bad future” if the allies do not help open the Strait of Hormuz, Rangel replied: “Yes.”

"What I can say is that we will not participate in this conflict, which has been very clear from the beginning," he said.