PARIS: France and Britain said Friday (Apr 17) they will lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising the force would be entirely defensive – and only deployed once a peace in the region was agreed.
“I can confirm that, along with France, the UK will lead a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation as soon as conditions allow,” British Prime Minister Starmer said after co-chairing a meeting in Paris on the issue alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
The event brought together over 30 other heads of state and government, most of them mainly attending by video link. Neither the United States nor Iran participated.
“This will be strictly peaceful and defensive as a mission to reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance,” said Starmer, adding that “over a dozen countries have already offered to contribute assets”.
As the Paris talks were being held, Iran announced that the key shipping route would be open to commercial vessels as long as a ceasefire in the Middle East lasts.
US President Donald Trump responded by saying his navy’s blockade just outside the Strait of Hormuz of ships going to or from Iranian ports remains “in full force and effect”.
Iran imposed its blockade on the Strait of Hormuz – a critical shipping bottleneck through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes in peacetime – immediately after the US and Israel launched their war against the Islamic republic on Feb 28.
Trump followed up with his US Navy blockade of vessels visiting Iranian ports after April 11-12 talks failed to yield any breakthrough.