A number of U.S. allies have declared they are prepared to assist in efforts to reopen the Straits of Hormuz.
The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan issued a joint statement on developments in the Middle East, declaring that they are ready to “contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait.”
“We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,” the nations said. “We welcome the International Energy Agency decision to authorise a coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves. We will take other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations to increase output.”
The nations emphasized that they “condemn in the strongest terms” attacks by Iran on “unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.” They then urged Iran to “cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.”
President Trump said over the weekend that several countries, “specially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe.”
“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated,” his statement added.
