The British Prime Minister and the French President will co-chair a meeting with leaders from around 40 countries to discuss efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Leaders from 40 countries and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are expected to meet online on April 17 to discuss supporting the ceasefire between Iran and the US, as well as developing a plan to ensure the Strait of Hormuz reopens to shipping after the Middle East conflict ends.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to arrive in Paris this morning to co-chair the conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will also attend, according to a German government official.

The British Prime Minister's office said on April 16 that leaders will establish an international mission to reopen the waterway, emphasizing that this will be a purely defensive mission and that countries will deploy coordinated military forces as soon as conditions permit.

The conference will also discuss IMO support for its work in ensuring the safety of ships and their crews.

President Macron (left) and Prime Minister Starmer at the Elysee Palace in Paris in January. Photo: AFP

"Reopening the Strait of Hormuz unconditionally and immediately is a global responsibility. We need to act to restore the free flow of energy and trade," CNN quoted Starmer's draft speech at the conference.

The British leader will also address the need to reassure commercial ships and support mine-clearing operations "to ensure global stability and security are restored."

German officials said the country is ready to contribute to ensuring safe passage through the strait, provided there is a clear legal basis. This contribution could include deploying mine-clearing vessels or conducting maritime surveillance, an area in which the German military has considerable experience.

Before the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz was the lifeline for approximately 20% of the world's crude oil and natural gas supply, along with one-third of the raw materials used in the global agricultural fertilizer industry. Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under a two-week ceasefire agreement reached with the US on April 8, but shipping traffic remains restricted.

Location of the Strait of Hormuz. Graphic: Guardian

US forces began enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports on April 13, a day after peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. Accordingly, the US will block all ships arriving at or departing from Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, as well as ships that have paid Iran fees to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran declared that Washington is "undermining the security of Iranian commercial and oil tankers," considering this a "violation of the ceasefire." Iran warned that if this continues, it will block trade through the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Oman in retaliation.