More than forty countries are set to meet on Monday to discuss military contributions to a European led mission aimed at escorting commercial vessels and restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement released on Sunday, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that British Defence Secretary John Healey and French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin will jointly chair the meeting, which will include representatives from more than forty countries.
The meeting will take place remotely and marks the first defence minister level gathering dedicated to the multinational mission focused on escorting ships and restoring commercial navigation through the strategic waterway.
Mine Clearance and Naval Escorts
According to Bloomberg, participating states are expected to contribute military capabilities related to mine clearance operations and naval escort missions as part of a defensive maritime initiative led by Britain and France.
The operation is intended to reassure commercial shipping companies seeking to transit the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating regional instability.
The announcement came only hours after Iran warned both London and Paris about the consequences of deploying naval forces to the region, following British and French moves to send additional warships to the Middle East.
France has already deployed the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the region, while Britain announced on Saturday its intention to send the destroyer HMS Dragon.
Both governments described the deployments as a form of “pre positioning” ahead of any future international mission designed to protect maritime navigation after a permanent ceasefire is reached.
Macron Rejects Full Blockade of the Strait
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that France had “never considered” deploying naval forces directly inside the Strait of Hormuz itself, but rather envisaged a security mission that would be “coordinated with Iran”.
Speaking to journalists in Nairobi during the second stop of his African tour following a visit to Egypt, Macron reaffirmed his opposition to any blockade of the strait by any side, referring both to the Iranian closure measures and the American naval blockade imposed on the region.
A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence also stated that the deployment of HMS Dragon is a “precautionary measure” intended to ensure Britain remains prepared to contribute to securing the strait whenever conditions allow.
Maritime Crisis Deepens
Since the outbreak of the American Israeli war against Iran on 28 February, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has entered a period of unprecedented disruption.
The United States escalated pressure on Tehran by imposing a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports and Iranian vessels transiting the strait, while Iran responded by broadly restricting access to commercial shipping and oil tankers.
The escalating confrontation between both sides has intensified the regional shipping crisis and triggered major disruptions across global trade and energy markets.
Transport costs and oil prices have continued rising while security risks facing vessels crossing the strait have sharply increased.
