European leaders initiate mission to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz
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In Paris on April 17, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a meeting with representatives of about 30 countries on the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is not expected to participate in the conference, and the initiative is being implemented with the participation of states that are not parties to the conflict.
This is reported by BFM .
The meeting is taking place at the Elysee Palace with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while other participants from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America are joining via video conference. The event began at 2 p.m. and is expected to conclude with a joint statement from the leaders of France and the United Kingdom.
The initiative aims to establish a mission to ensure the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after the stabilization of the ceasefire between Iran and the US. France and the UK have already started planning with the participating countries.
“Freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is an immediate priority, particularly given the global economic consequences of this conflict,” the Elysee Palace said.
Separately, the need to support the commercial maritime sector and conduct mine clearance operations to restore stability in the region is emphasized.
“It is necessary to calm the maritime transport sector and support mine clearance operations to ensure a return to global security,” Downing Street said.
The conference is taking place against the backdrop of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil and gas supplies are transported, which has led to a rise in energy prices. Despite a two-week ceasefire introduced on April 8, the situation remains unstable after the failure of negotiations between Iran and the United States.
The Elysee Palace emphasized that the mission will be exclusively defensive in nature and will require security guarantees from both sides.
“We need to be confident that Iran will not open fire on the ships, and the United States will not block their movement,” the administration official said.
It was also emphasized that the strait should not be mined, and any attempts to introduce a toll for passage are unacceptable.
“Neither any fees nor restrictions will be accepted,” the French side emphasized.
Only countries not involved in the conflict will participate in the mission, with each state determining its own contribution. An additional international summit is planned in London next week to continue discussions.
As a reminder, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, threatened the United States with an increase in gasoline prices after US President Donald Trump’s statements about blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
As reported, US President Donald Trump said that the country’s naval forces will soon begin the process of blocking ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz.
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