LONDON: Britain will host military planners from more than 30 countries for two days of talks starting Wednesday on a proposed multinational mission to protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the defence ministry said.
The initiative, led by the UK and France, aims to develop plans for safeguarding shipping in the strategic waterway once conditions allow.
“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 Secretary John Healey said.
The ministry said the meeting would advance detailed planning following what it described as progress at talks held in Paris last week.
The discussions come after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired a broader international meeting that brought together more than 40 countries.
Britain and France have stressed that any force would be defensive in nature and deployed only once a lasting peace in the region is secured.
The United States and Iran, the main parties to the conflict, did not attend the talks.
The planning effort comes as a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran remains in place after President Donald J. Trump extended it shortly before its expiry to allow more time for negotiations.
Both sides have accused each other of violations, while the United States continues a blockade of Iranian ports.
The London conference is being held at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters, which oversees joint military operations.
