Britain and France have begun drafting a multinational military plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, moving from last week’s diplomatic understanding to operational planning with military officials from multiple countries.
The British government said it will host military representatives from more than 30 countries for two days of talks starting April 22 to discuss plans to reopen the strait. The meeting is being held at the U.K. Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, north of London.
Britain’s Foreign Office said it would advance military planning to reopen the strait “as soon as conditions allow” after a “sustainable ceasefire” is agreed. The talks are intended to turn the earlier diplomatic consensus into a concrete multinational response framework.
Britain and France said they aim to draw in as many countries as possible to pool military capabilities and expertise. Discussions are expected to focus on operational details, including force deployments and command-and-control arrangements.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron last week convened a leaders’ meeting in Paris with participation from 51 countries, calling for the immediate, unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries also reaffirmed plans to create a “strictly defensive” multinational mission to protect commercial shipping, ensure maritime safety and conduct mine-clearing operations.
U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said the task over the two days is to translate the diplomatic agreement into a joint plan to protect freedom of navigation and support a sustainable ceasefire. “I am confident we will make real progress over the two days,” he said.
Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was a key maritime route through which about one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passed. Since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28, most commercial traffic has been halted.
Iran said last week it would reopen the strait but reversed course within hours as the United States continued blocking Iranian vessels. Tensions at sea have remained high after the United States seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament committee on national security and foreign policy passed a bill that would allow Iran to levy transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Press TV reported April 22. The bill is expected to face a vote in the full parliament.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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