FILE PHOTO: A car rides along the coast of Musandam overlooking the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Oman, March 2, 2026.REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo AMR ALFIKY / REUTERS
Britain will host military planners from over 30 countries for two days of talks starting Wednesday, April 22, on a multinational mission led by the UK and France to protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the defense ministry said.
The ministry said the meeting would "advance detailed planning" on reopening the Strait when conditions allow, following "progress" at talks in Paris last week. "The task today and tomorrow is to translate diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait and support a lasting ceasefire," Defence Minister John Healey said in a statement. He said he was confident "real progress can be made."
The conference comes after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired international talks on the strategic strait in Paris on Friday that brought together over 40 countries.
Britain and France emphasized the force would be entirely defensive and only deployed once lasting peace in the region was agreed. The United States and Iran, as warring parties, did not attend the talks.
