Defence chiefs have been discussing how to unblock the conduit for about a fifth of the world’s oil supplies
The UK has offered to host an international security summit to draw up a “viable, collective plan” to reopen the strait of Hormuz as economic fallout from the Iran conflict continues.
Defence chiefs have been discussing how they could unblock the vital shipping lane, through which about 20% of global oil supplies usually pass, amid the Middle East crisis unleashed by the US and Israel.
The Ministry of Defence has already sent military planners to US Central Command to look at options for getting tankers through the strait, which has in effect been closed by Tehran’s threat of retaliatory attacks.
More than 30 countries including the United Arab Emirates, the UK, France, Germany, Canada and Australia have signed a joint statement agreeing to work on “appropriate efforts” to safeguard the waterway.
