Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced that France and the United Kingdom will jointly lead a multinational initiative aimed at restoring free and secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz amid uncertainties over the virtual control of the strategic waterway between the US and Iran.
In a post on X, Macron said that the move is part of broader diplomatic efforts to address escalating tensions in the Middle East and ensure long-term regional stability and emphasised that the mission would be "strictly defensive" and separate from any parties involved in ongoing hostilities.
Macron stated that France and the UK will convene a conference in the coming days with countries willing to contribute to a "peaceful multinational mission" to safeguard maritime traffic through the vital chokepoint, which is crucial for global energy shipments.
"Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, we will organise with the United Kingdom, in the coming days, a conference with countries ready to contribute alongside us to a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait. This strictly defensive mission, distinct from the belligerents, will be deployed as soon as the situation allows," Macron said in his post.
He also linked the initiative to wider regional concerns, including Iran's nuclear and ballistic activities and what he described as destabilising actions in the region, despite a two-week ceasefire in place between the US-Israel coalition forces and Iran after over a month of conflict in the region.
The French President further said the effort is part of a broader push for diplomatic resolution of conflicts in West Asia, including restoring stability in Lebanon while respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"No effort must be spared to swiftly achieve a solid and lasting resolution to the conflict in the Middle East through diplomatic means. A resolution that would enable the region to be endowed with a robust framework allowing each party to live in peace and security. To achieve this, all substantive issues must be addressed with lasting solutions, whether concerning Iran's nuclear and ballistic activities or its destabilising actions in the region, but also to enable the resumption, as quickly as possible, of free and unhindered navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and to ensure that Lebanon returns to the path of peace in full respect of its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the post added. (ANI)
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