London, May 11 (SANA) Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that the United Kingdom and France would co-chair a meeting of defense ministers from more than 40 countries on Tuesday to discuss plans aimed at restoring safe commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement cited by Agence France-Presse, the ministry said British Defense Secretary John Healey and French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu would jointly lead the meeting, described as the first gathering of defense ministers under the multinational maritime security mission operating in the region.
The talks come amid heightened regional tensions and continued disruption to navigation in the Gulf, a key route for global oil and trade flows.
Shipping industry reports indicate that large numbers of cargo ships and oil tankers have faced delays for weeks because of the ongoing crisis affecting maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.
The meeting also comes as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions remain stalled.
Earlier on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump described Iran’s response, delivered through Pakistani mediation, to American proposals aimed at ending the U.S.-Israeli-Iranian conflict as “unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that essential supplies aboard several delayed vessels in the Gulf were beginning to run low, adding to concerns about the impact of the crisis on global trade and energy markets.
R.D/ABD
