A US effort to build an international naval coalition to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz remains stalled, despite support in principle from European allies including the United Kingdom and France.
British and French officials have signalled that any role would be defensive and dependent on conditions on the ground and a durable political agreement. Analysts say neither country wants to become entangled in a confrontation with Iran without clear backing from Gulf states.
At a glance:
- The US first proposed the maritime coalition in March.
- In mid-April, then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK and France would lead a strictly peaceful and defensive mission.
- The UK later said it could provide drones, fighter jets and a warship when conditions allow.
- About one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Coalition plans remain conditional
Washington first raised the idea in March, when President Donald Trump urged allies and China to contribute warships. Most countries initially declined or remained noncommittal, while the UK and France left open the possibility of joining.
Related coverage: Iran-Oman Talks Show Progress on Strait of Hormuz Shipping.
In mid-April, Starmer announced plans for Britain and France to lead an international mission to secure shipping, describing it as “strictly peaceful and defensive”. The UK Ministry of Defence later promised drones, fighter jets and a warship, saying the mission would begin “when conditions allow” and had support from dozens of countries.
Talks continue, but no operation has begun
A European diplomatic source said a technical-level meeting involving more than 30 states took place on Thursday after a France-UK initiative on freedom of navigation. The UK Defence Ministry said further talks were expected on planning and coordination for a future multinational mission.
The ministry said operational activity remained contingent on conditions on the ground and a durable political agreement. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has described the UK as “absolutely aligned” with the US on securing maritime freedom and commercial shipping, while officials said Britain remains committed to shipping protection across the Gulf region.
More context: Eight shipping associations warn against Strait of Hormuz fees.
Why European governments are cautious
HA Hellyer of the Royal United Services Institute and Center for American Progress said the coalition had been delayed because political support had not matched public rhetoric. He said the UK and France were unlikely to lead an operation without active support from key Gulf partners, partly because they did not want to impose a security structure viewed by regional governments as escalatory.
King’s College London defence studies lecturer Amjed Rasheed said European involvement would likely be limited, conditional and purely defensive. Hellyer said a narrow maritime presence focused on reassurance and commercial shipping remained possible, but he doubted a broader or more forceful coalition would emerge.
Hormuz is central to the wider dispute
About one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making its disrupted status a major point of contention in US-Iran negotiations to end the conflict. The US says Iran should not control the waterway and that passage should remain free under international law.
Also read: What the proposed Iran-Oman Hormuz corridor would mean.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday that an understanding with Oman on a new traffic-management protocol was close to finalisation. He said the arrangement would last two to four months, with much of a designated route through Iranian territorial waters and the remainder through Omani waters, while temporary routes would be closed.
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