France and Britain to Chair Meeting on Strait of Hormuz
On Friday, France and Britain will chair a meeting involving around 40 countries. The purpose is to signal to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation once conditions allow.
Iran has largely closed the Strait since US-Israeli air strikes began on February 28. On Monday, Washington imposed a blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
US President Donald Trump has called for other countries to help enforce the blockade and criticized NATO allies for not doing so. Britain and France say joining would amount to entering the war but are willing to help keep the strait open once there is a lasting ceasefire or the conflict ends.
The initiative does not currently include the US or Iran, though European diplomats said any realistic mission would ultimately need to be coordinated with both. Washington will be briefed on the outcome of the talks.
According to a note sent to invited nations, the aim of the meeting is to reaffirm full diplomatic support for unfettered freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and respect international law. It will also address economic challenges facing the shipping industry and safety of over 20,000 stranded seafarers and trapped commercial vessels.
Preparations for a strictly defensive multinational military mission to ensure freedom of navigation when conditions are met will be outlined. A chair’s statement is expected at the end of the meeting to give a more tangible sense of what such a mission could entail, although it is not expected to spell out specific countries that might contribute.
President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will attend. Officials from across Europe, Asia and the Middle East will join by video conference. China has been invited but its participation was unclear.
Several diplomats said the mission might never materialise if the situation in Hormuz returned to normal. Others said shipping companies and insurers could seek such a deployment during a transitional phase to provide reassurance. “The objective is clear, and the resources deployed will naturally depend on the situation,” a senior French official briefing reporters said. Britain said Friday’s talks would feed directly into a multinational military planning meeting next week.