22 nations ready for ‘appropriate efforts’ to ensure safe passage through Hormuz Strait

CAIRO – 21 March 2026: Leaders of 22 countries have signed a joint statement strongly condemning Iran’s “de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz” and recent attacks on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf.

“We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict,” read the statement, signed by 15 European countries, two Gulf nations, four Asian nations, and Canada.

They called on Iran to immediately halt its threats toward navigation in the strait, including laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the waterway to commercial shipping.

They underscored freedom of navigation as “a fundamental principle of international law,” expressing “our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the strait.”

The United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Romania, Bahrain, Lithuania, and Australia signed the statement.

The Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint linking the Arabian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman that normally carries about one‑fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas, has emerged as a key flashpoint in the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

Repeated attacks on tankers and security threats in the region since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28 have disrupted shipping and raised concerns among energy traders along the strait.