While fighting rages in the Persian Gulf, Paris is already preparing the ground for the recovery of the global economy. The Chief of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces, Fabien Mandon, held talks with representatives of 35 countries on Thursday about the creation of a protection mission that would secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz after the end of the war.
French Armed Forces Chief of Staff Fabien Mandon held talks with representatives of about 35 countries on Thursday about the possibilities of a future mission to help restore safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the war in the Middle East. TASR refers to a Reuters report.
- Fabien Mandon negotiated with the delegations of 35 countries about the post-war mission in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iranian threats and attacks have practically paralyzed shipping through Hormuz at the moment.
- Drastically increased war insurances discourage tanker owners from sailing through the strait.
- The planned international mission is to have a strictly defensive nature and ensure navigation.
- The mission is to start by demining the strait, then provide armed protection to the tankers.
Strategic sea route
The Western partners of the United States have repeatedly emphasized that they will not get involved in the ongoing conflict. However, the intense diplomatic activities indicate concerns that even after the end of the fighting, Iran may threaten this strategic sea route, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supplies passed before the war. Shipping in the area is currently crippled by Iranian threats and attacks on vessels.
Insurance companies radically increased the so-called war policies that cover the risks of attack or damage to ships in dangerous waters. Tanker owners therefore do not sail their ships through the strait.
In a statement, the French Ministry of Defense did not specify which countries participated in the negotiations with Mandon. According to the sources, it was an initial consultation aimed at exchanging views on the crisis and collecting proposals on what the future mission could look like.
Defensive nature of the mission
“This initiative, independent of ongoing military operations in the region, is strictly defensive in nature. Its goal is to arrange the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the fighting,” the ministry clarified.
The head of the French Navy, Nicolas Vaujour, reported that he had held talks with 12 partners, including Britain, Germany, Italy, India and Japan. “We exchange views on issues of freedom of navigation and maritime security, as the sea is a key artery of the global economy and regional stability,” X wrote on the social network.
According to the sources, the possible mission could start with demining, followed by a phase of protecting tankers passing through the area. It is demining that could represent a fundamental challenge, since the United States does not have sufficient capacities for it.
