Khaberni - An alliance comprising about 40 countries will meet on Friday to discuss restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that may diminish tensions between Trump and his European allies.
France and Britain are chairing the meeting, which also aims to send a signal to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as conditions allow.
Since the beginning of the US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28, Iran has largely closed the strait to non-aligned ships. On Monday, Washington imposed a blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
US President Donald Trump has called on other countries to assist in enforcing the blockade and criticized NATO countries for not doing so.
The United Kingdom, France, and other countries have said joining the blockade could be tantamount to entering a war, but they are willing to help keep the strait open once a permanent ceasefire or an end to the conflict is reached.
The current initiative under discussion does not include the United States or Iran, although European diplomats have indicated that any realistic mission would eventually require coordination with both parties. Washington will be briefed on the outcomes of the talks.
Safety of the stranded mariners
According to a memo sent to the invited countries, the meeting aims to reaffirm full diplomatic support for unrestricted freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the need to respect international law.
The meeting will also address the economic challenges facing the shipping sector and the safety of more than 20,000 stranded mariners and commercial ships embroiled.
The meeting will also outline preparations to deploy a multinational defensive military mission when conditions are met to ensure freedom of navigation.
A statement is expected to be issued at the end of the meeting to give a more realistic idea of what such a mission might entail, although it is not expected to detail what each country might contribute.
Resources depend on the situation
The meeting in Paris will be attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while officials from across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East will join via video.
An invitation was extended to China, but it is unclear whether it will participate or not.
Several diplomats stated that the mission might never materialize if the situation in the Strait of Hormuz returns to its previous state.
Others have said that shipping and insurance companies might demand such a deployment during a transitional period to provide assurance.
A senior French official briefed reporters, "This could include exchanging intelligence, mine-clearing capabilities, military escorts, and information exchanges with neighboring countries, among other measures."
He added, "The objective is clear, and the resources deployed will naturally depend on the situation."
Britain said that the discussions on Friday would directly lead to a multinational military planning meeting to be held next week.
