France and Britain will chair a meeting on Friday (17 April) of around 40 countries aimed at signalling to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.
Iran has largely closed the strait to ships other than its own since the start of U.S.-Israeli air strikes on 28 February. On Monday (13 April), Washington imposed a blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called on other countries to help enforce the blockade and has criticised NATO allies for not doing so.
Britain, France and others say joining the blockade would amount to entering the war, but they have said they would be willing to help keep the strait open once there is a lasting ceasefire or the conflict ends.
The initiative being discussed does not for now include the United States or Iran, though European diplomats said any realistic mission would ultimately need to be coordinated with both. Washington will be briefed on the outcome of the talks.
According to a note sent to invited nations, the aim of the meeting is to reaffirm full diplomatic support for unfettered freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the need to respect international law.
The meeting will also address economic challenges facing the shipping industry and the safety of more than 20,000 stranded seafarers and trapped commercial vessels.
It will also outline preparations for the deployment - when conditions are met - of a strictly defensive multinational military mission to ensure freedom of navigation.
A chair’s statement is expected at the end of the meeting to give a more tangible sense of what such a mission could entail, although it is not expected to spell out what specific countries might contribute.
President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will attend the meeting in Paris, while officials from across Europe, Asia and the Middle East will join by video conference.
China has been invited, although it was not clear whether it will take part.
Several diplomats said the mission might never materialise if the situation in Hormuz returned to normal.
Others said shipping companies and insurers could seek such a deployment during a transitional phase to provide reassurance.
"It can involve intelligence sharing, mine-clearance capabilities, military escorts, information procedures with neighbouring countries and more,” a senior French official briefing reporters said.
"The objective is clear, and the resources deployed will naturally depend on the situation."
Britain said Friday's talks would feed directly into a multinational military planning meeting next week.
Six people have been killed after a man opened fire in a supermarket in the Ukrai...
European countries should expand the role of natural gas in their energy systems to reduce the risk of supply shocks caused by international crises...
Lebanon and Israel have a “fundamentally incompatible” understanding of the ceasefire agreed on Thursday (16 April), Dr Nouran El-Bayaa...
Bulgaria heads to the polls on Sunday (19 April) for its eighth election in five years, amid mounting public frustrat...
Global leaders and diplomats gathered in southern Türkiye on 17 April for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict...
Six people have been killed after a man opened fire in a supermarket in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday (18 April). Ukraine's Security Service said it was investigating the incident as a "terrorist act."
European countries should expand the role of natural gas in their energy systems to reduce the risk of supply shocks caused by international crises, an energy industry chief has said.
Lebanon and Israel have a “fundamentally incompatible” understanding of the ceasefire agreed on Thursday (16 April), Dr Nouran El-Bayaa has said.
Bulgaria heads to the polls on Sunday (19 April) for its eighth election in five years, amid mounting public frustration over corruption scandals and repeated government collapses.
The past 24 hours of the Russia-Ukraine war have seen a drastic escalation in both aerial bombardment and frontline losses.
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Supreme Leader in air strikes, triggering the Middle East conflict, at the end of February. A U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, however, remains in force.
Two Indian-flagged ships were shot at in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, India's Foreign Ministry said, as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again, less than 24 hours after reopening the 167km long sea passage, which is essential for global trade.
Netflix shares fell sharply on Friday after the streaming group issued a weaker-than-expected outlook and said chairman and co-founder Reed Hastings will step down from the board.
Eight people have died after a helicopter crash in West Kalimantan province, Indonesia. Authorities said contact was lost five minutes after taking off from a plantation area in Melawi.
Lebanon and Israel have a “fundamentally incompatible” understanding of the ceasefire agreed on Thursday (16 April), Dr Nouran El-Bayaa has said.
Two Indian-flagged ships were shot at in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, India's Foreign Ministry said, as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again, less than 24 hours after reopening the 167km long sea passage, which is essential for global trade.
Global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of partial recovery after Iran announced it was open to commercial vessels during a limited ceasefire, though uncertainty remains over security conditions and compliance rules.
The Strait of Hormuz has reopened, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (17 April), although Washington warned its naval blockade on Iran would remain until a peace deal is reached.
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Supreme Leader in air strikes, triggering the Middle East conflict, at the end of February. A U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, however, remains in force.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment