Canada, allies ready to ‘contribute to appropriate efforts’ on Strait Of Hormuz
Canada, Japan and several European allies signalled on Thursday (ET) that they are prepared to contribute to efforts to reopen the strait of hormuz after air strikes and retaliatory attacks disrupted shipping and critical energy infrastructure. The joint statement by Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan condemned Iran’s attacks and said the effects would be felt worldwide. Governments said they welcome preparatory planning even as the precise form of any action remains unsettled.
Strait Of Hormuz: what the allies said
The seven-country joint statement condemned Iran’s strikes and described what it called “the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces. ” The statement added, “The effects of Iran’s actions will be felt by people in all parts of the world, especially the most vulnerable, ” and said, “We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. ” Signatories welcomed the commitment of nations engaging in preparatory planning but did not list specific assets or timelines.
Immediate reactions and named officials
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government was “working toward a swift resolution to the situation in the Middle East, in the best interests of the British people – because there is no question that ending the war is the quickest way to reduce the cost of living. ” Defence Minister David McGuinty signalled that Canada was part of discussions within NATO and linked Canadian engagement to allied deliberations. The International Maritime Organization has called for the creation of a “safe maritime corridor, ” though it has not specified how that corridor would be formed.
Escalation in the Gulf and energy fallout
The recent sequence of strikes began with Israel’s attack on Iranian facilities in the South Pars gas field on Wednesday (ET), which precipitated Iranian strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility and other sites in the region. South Pars is shared by Iran and Qatar. The targeting of gas infrastructure during the third week of war in the Middle East has pushed European natural gas prices sharply higher and drove Brent oil prices upward. Roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil normally transits the strait of hormuz, and nearly all traffic has been halted since United States and Israel began military action on Iran on Feb. 28 (ET).
What’s next: planning, NATO discussions and maritime measures
So far no country in the joint statement has committed warships, mine sweepers or troops. Britain has sent military planners to Washington to discuss options for resuming shipping, and NATO discussions are under way. The immediate markers to watch are whether allied governments translate preparatory planning into concrete commitments of naval or mine-clearing assets, and whether the International Maritime Organization details how a safe maritime corridor would be established. Decisions in capitals and at NATO will determine the next moves to reopen the strait of hormuz, and progress will be closely tied to developments on the ground in the region.
