UK and France Lead Strait of Hormuz Escort Mission; Over 30 Nations' Military Officials Meet in London

(CNA, London, 22nd) The UK government stated that military planners from over 30 countries began a two-day meeting in London today to draft detailed plans for security missions following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to comprehensive reports from Reuters and AFP, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron co-hosted an international conference on the Strait of Hormuz in Paris on the 17th. Over 40 countries participated, though both the United States and Iran were absent.

Both the UK and France emphasized that this force is purely defensive in nature and will only be officially deployed after a lasting peace agreement is reached in the region. Many countries have expressed their willingness to join the international mission led by the UK and France to protect safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when conditions permit.

The UK Ministry of Defence stated in a press release that today's meeting will build upon the progress made during last week's talks.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated: "The mission for today and tomorrow is to translate diplomatic consensus into a joint plan that ensures freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and supports a lasting ceasefire... I am confident we will make substantial progress over the next two days."

The UK indicated that participating countries will discuss issues such as military capabilities, allocation of command responsibilities, and how forces will be deployed to the region. Once the ceasefire stabilizes, they will push forward with military planning for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under permissible conditions. (Compiler: Chang Ming-hsuan) 1150422

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