More than 40 countries will meet on Monday (11) to define their military contributions to a European-led mission to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz once there is a stable ceasefire.
The countries are to provide minesweeping, escort and air policing capabilities as part of a defensive naval mission led by the United Kingdom and France, designed to provide security to commercial vessels trying to cross the strait.
“We are turning the diplomatic agreement into concrete military plans to restore confidence in navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” said UK Defense Secretary John Healey, who will co-chair Monday’s meeting alongside his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin.
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Iran practically closed the Strait of Hormuz — through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes — after war broke out with attacks by the US and Israel on February 28. The US has since imposed a naval blockade. The outage has disrupted oil and gas markets, sent fuel prices soaring and increased pressure on consumers around the world.
The UK will send one of its warships — the HMS Dragon, capable of destroying guided missiles — as part of the mission, which will only begin after a lasting ceasefire or peace agreement is reached. Iran is considering a new US proposal to end the war.
US President Donald Trump has previously criticized the UK and other NATO countries for their resistance to committing warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He also attacked the British for offering to send aircraft carriers long after the deadline in which, according to him, the US needed the ships, mocking the vessels as “toys”.
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