LONDON, April 17. /TASS/. The United Kingdom wants the Strait of Hormuz to be unblocked without any preconditions, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.
"The unconditional and immediate reopening of the Strait is a global responsibility, and we need to act to get global energy and trade flowing freely again. [French President] Emmanuel Macron and I are clear in our commitment to establish a multinational initiative to protect freedom of navigation," Starmer was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office. "We must reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance operations to ensure a return to global stability and security."
The statement is expected to be delivered during a virtual meeting on the new Strait of Hormuz, organized from Paris and co-chaired by the leaders of the UK and France.
Starmer will arrive in Paris later on Friday to co-host a virtual meeting about the Strait of Hormuz, along with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Chief of Defense Staff Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton. In all, about 40 countries are expected to take part in the conference.
"The leaders will focus on supporting the fragile ceasefire in the region and ensure shipping routes are reopened and secured through the Strait for the long term, complementing ongoing diplomatic efforts to reinforce peace," the statement reads. "Discussions will also include supporting the vital work of the International Maritime Organisation, who will dial into the call, to ensure the safety of seafarers and vessels."
Friday’s conference will be followed by a multi-national military planning summit at Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood next week.
"Planning is underway now, with a view to deploying a combined military effort as soon as conditions allow. The international mission will be strictly defensive in nature," the statement reads.
Also, the UK prime minister will hold a bilateral meeting with Macron on Friday. The leaders will discuss Ukraine, illegal migration, economic issues and European security.
Military operation against Iran
On February 28, the US and Israel launched a large-scale operation against Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, an elite unit of the Iranian army) announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel, and US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were also hit. Apart from that, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz for the passage of any ships affiliated with the United States, Israel and those countries that supported their aggression against Iran.
On April 7, the US president announced a two-week mutual ceasefire with Tehran. On April 11, Iran and the US held several rounds of talks in Islamabad. The Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the American delegation was headed by Vice President JD Vance. Both sides later reported that they were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term settlement of the conflict due to a number of contradictions. The prospects for advancing dialogue between Tehran and Washington remain unclear. The US imposed a naval blockade on Iran on April 13.