France and UK leaders urge permanent open navigation in Hormuz

Key Points:

• French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the announcement by Iran and the U.S. that the Strait of Hormuz is open but emphasized the need for permanent restoration of freedom of navigation through the vital oil route.
• Macron and Starmer announced plans for an international, neutral maritime security mission led by France and the UK, with military planners meeting next week in London to coordinate efforts aimed at protecting commercial shipping and clearing mines.
• The U.S. is not participating in this coalition, which involves over a dozen countries contributing assets such as mine-hunting drones and maritime intelligence; Germany expressed conditional support pending parliamentary approval and a UN mandate.
• The initiative responds to tensions from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which caused the strait's closure and a spike in oil prices, and reflects European efforts to assert independent security capabilities separate from U.S. military involvement.
• Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized NATO as ineffective, rejecting their offer of assistance and downplaying European naval contributions, while affirming continued U.S. naval blockades on Iran until negotiations are complete.