Europe Plans Hormuz Security Without US, Iran Involvement

European nations led by France and the United Kingdom are developing a postwar plan to secure commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, excluding involvement from the United States, Israel, and Iran, amid an escalating conflict between Washington and Tehran. The initiative, discussed at recent diplomatic gatherings, aims to restore safe passage in the vital waterway once hostilities cease, addressing disruptions that have halted global trade and threatened energy supplies.

The proposal calls for an international coalition of nonbelligerent countries to deploy mineclearing vessels, naval escorts, and surveillance operations. French President Emmanuel Macron described the effort as a defensive mission that would not include warring parties. "The plan is for an international defensive mission that doesn't include the belligerent parties," Macron said, referring to the United States, Israel, and Iran. European diplomats indicated that any participating ships would operate independently of American command. The mission would activate only after deescalation, with coordination required from bordering nations including Iran and Oman, suggesting Tehran's potential approval as a...