6 countries are ready to help ensure security in the Strait of Hormuz

“We welcome the commitment of countries participating in preparatory planning,” the group of six countries including Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and the Netherlands said in a joint statement today, and “condemned in the strongest terms Iran’s recent attacks on unarmed commercial ships in the Persian Gulf.”

Twenty-three commercial ships, including 10 oil tankers, have been attacked or encountered problems in the Strait of Hormuz since the Middle East conflict broke out. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimated on March 18 that nearly 20,000 sailors and about 3,200 ships are stuck in these waters.

“We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict. We call on Iran to immediately end its threats, mine laying, drone and missile attacks, as well as other efforts to block the strait to commercial shipping,” the joint statement said.

According to the six countries, freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. “The consequences of Iran’s actions will affect people around the world, especially the most vulnerable,” the joint statement added.

Iranian officials have not commented on the joint statement.

US President Donald Trump recently called on world powers and NATO to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, but was refused.

“The level of risk is so great that not many countries are willing to send warships to that dangerous area at this time. We are coordinating closely with allies and partners on what we can do and contribute when the situation allows,” a British defense official said.

This person noted that Britain sent a small group of military planners to Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency in charge of US military operations in the Middle East, to “support planning and develop options for all possible scenarios in the Strait of Hormuz”.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes, remains largely blockaded by Iran, driving up energy prices and raising concerns about inflation. A number of oil tankers have recently passed through the strait safely, seemingly receiving “special treatment” from Iran, but the number is much lower than before the outbreak of hostilities.

Iranian parliament speaker Bagher Ghalibaf said on March 17 that maritime activities in the Strait of Hormuz will “not be able to return to the pre-conflict state”. New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei also affirmed that “the lever to block the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used”.

Gulf and Western countries strongly criticized Tehran, while Iranian officials responded that the current situation was due to “the US and Israel using force and illegal military aggression”.