22 Countries Will Intervene in the Strait of Hormuz Affairs
Satellite image of the Strait of Hormuz. Image.
The United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry released a joint statement from multiple countries, stating that the number of countries willing to participate in ensuring the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz has increased to 22.
The statement said: "We are willing to participate in necessary actions to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. We welcome the countries that have joined the preparation plan."
Last Thursday, six countries - the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan - announced their participation in the shipping security assurance alliance in the Strait of Hormuz.
The alliance members include Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea; among Arab countries, the UAE and Bahrain have also agreed to join.
The member states of the alliance stated that maritime route security is in the interest of all countries.
Since February 28, the US and Israel have begun to strike targets inside Iran, including the capital Tehran, causing civilian casualties and damage to facilities. In response, Iran has retaliated against Israeli territory and US military targets in the Middle East.
The escalation of the situation in Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a key channel for Persian Gulf countries to supply oil and liquefied natural gas to the world, and the situation has affected regional oil production and export levels. To this end, US President Donald Trump has called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and other countries to dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7619913274561151531/
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