France and Britain will co-host a virtual summit on Friday with allied countries to discuss a “purely defensive mission” aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.
The meeting will be co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer, according to the French presidency. The talks are expected to focus on restoring freedom of navigation once regional security conditions improve.
A spokesperson for the British government said the summit would help develop a coordinated multinational plan to safeguard international shipping after the ongoing conflict subsides.
Tensions escalated after US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February triggered a wider regional conflict, severely disrupting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most important oil and gas shipping routes.
Although Iran and the United States recently agreed to a temporary two-week cessation of hostilities, ceasefire negotiations held in Pakistan over the weekend failed to produce a lasting agreement.
In response, Donald Trump has ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, beginning Monday, further raising concerns about global energy supply and maritime security.
