France and Britain will present plans for a multinational maritime mission in the Strait of Hormuz at talks between NATO and Gulf Arab foreign ministers on Tuesday. The meeting, held during a NATO summit in Ankara, aims to address tensions in the strategically important waterway following weeks of Iranian attacks on ships.
Iran’s rejection of the initiative makes it unlikely that the deadlock over the vital waterway will be resolved soon. Iran began blockading the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Israel launched military action against it in February. Despite a mid-June interim accord, passage remains difficult, keeping shipping costs and global supply chains under pressure.
NATO allies have sought to avoid direct involvement in the conflict but are focusing on plans outside the alliance to reopen the strait, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes. France and Britain have led efforts to build a coalition among roughly a dozen countries to guarantee safe passage once tensions ease or the conflict is resolved.
Iran has repeatedly opposed any foreign military presence in the area, using the issue as leverage in its negotiations with Washington. The meeting on Tuesday will be symbolic, with several NATO allies already deploying minehunters, warships and support vessels in the region. Paris and London hope to have an initial mission in the Gulf of Oman, adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz and bordered by Iran, Oman and the UAE.