7 countries ready to ensure safe passage through Strait of Hormuz
Leaders of Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada announced their readiness to ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz amid the Middle East conflict, Qazinform News Agency reports.
In a joint statement, they expressed deep concern about the escalating conflict, calling on Iran to cease “immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks, and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.”
“We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” the statement reads.
The leaders of seven countries emphasized that “under the UNSC Resolution 2817, such interference with international shipping and the disruption of global energy supply chains constitute a threat to international peace and security.” In this regard, they called for an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations."
“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,” reads the document.
The leaders of Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada also welcomed the decision of the International Atomic Energy Agency to authorise a coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves. They noted that they would take other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations to increase output.
Earlier, Donald Trump warned that NATO could face a “very bad” future if member states do not support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
