USA and UK plan to establish an international coalition to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz

The United States and the United Kingdom are planning to convene a high-level meeting in London next week, which will focus on establishing an international coalition to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, two European diplomats and two other sources familiar with the matter said this evening (Friday).

Why it matters

The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping is a key component of the US exit strategy from the war with Iran and efforts to stabilize global energy markets. The agenda and date of the meeting are still under discussion and have not yet been finalized.

According to the European diplomats, the meeting is expected to bring together defense ministers and senior military commanders from Western countries and countries in the region. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kane may attend the meeting. The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The British Embassy in Washington declined to comment.

The situation

Since Iran began attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz two weeks ago, the United States has been conducting daily strikes against Iranian military targets along the country's southern coast. In the last four days, no Iranian attacks against commercial vessels have been recorded. A senior US security official said the reason for this is that Iran's military capability in the strait area has been almost eliminated following the American strikes. However, other US officials believe that Iran is still capable of attacking vessels in the area.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump threatened to bomb bridges and power plants, including in Tehran, if Iran continues to attack vessels in the strait. Iran responded with a threat to attack infrastructure in Gulf countries that are allies of the United States.

The escalation around the Strait of Hormuz began after negotiations between Oman, Iran, and Qatar two weeks ago regarding a new arrangement in the strait ended without results. Shortly thereafter, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Tehran for consultations, and the Revolutionary Guards began firing at vessels. On Friday, an Omani delegation arrived in Tehran to resume talks on a mechanism for reopening the strait.

Behind the scenes

According to the sources, the United States is seeking to build on the discussions that the UK and France have held in recent months with many countries regarding the establishment of an international coalition. One of the key conditions set by many countries is that the fighting must stop, so that conditions on the ground are safe enough for the operation of an international naval force. The sources said that the United States is asking its allies to send assets to the region such as minesweepers, warships, and UAVs to help secure shipping lanes.

"The Americans are looking for a way out of the crisis, and they want our help," said one of the European diplomats.