France, UK to Convene Paris Conference on Strait of Hormuz

(MENAFN) France and the United Kingdom are set to jointly host a conference in Paris on Friday focused on ensuring the safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement from the French presidency reported by broadcasters.

The Élysée Palace said French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair the meeting, which will bring together countries described as “non-belligerent” and willing to support a multinational, defensive effort aimed at restoring maritime freedom in the strategic waterway once conditions permit, according to reports.

The initiative comes amid ongoing diplomatic activity involving Washington and Tehran, which recently held talks in Islamabad—marking some of the most significant engagement between the two sides in decades since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979. These discussions are part of broader efforts to de-escalate tensions linked to the US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which Iranian authorities say has resulted in more than 3,300 deaths since late February.

Although the negotiations did not produce a final agreement, a fragile two-week ceasefire was later announced and mediated through regional efforts, according to reports.

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