BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 17, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday hailed the US-Iran deal to end the Middle East war, saying the planned reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, would be a "massive step forward".

"The restoration of free passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be a massive step forward, and I know that many allies, through the initiative led by France and the United Kingdom, are ready to support," Rutte told a press conference in Brussels.