PARIS, April 13 (Xinhua) -- France and Britain will work to bring countries together for a meeting in the coming days on pooling efforts to restore free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
The meeting is expected to gather countries willing to contribute to a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring free navigation in the Strait, Macron said on his official X account.
He noted that the planned mission would be strictly defensive in nature and separate from parties involved in the ongoing regional conflict in the Middle East, adding that it is intended to be deployed as soon as circumstances permit.
Diplomatic efforts must be intensified, with no effort to be spared, to swiftly reach a strong and lasting settlement to the regional conflict, he said.
The French president made the remarks after the United States and Iran failed to reach any agreement in their talks over the weekend, the first of its kind since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran.
The regional conflict has led to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway typically transporting roughly a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
According to Macron, any sustainable settlement to the conflict should provide a robust framework enabling all countries in the region to live in peace and security.
He added that core issues must be addressed through lasting solutions, including Iran's nuclear and ballistic programs, its regional activities, the restoration of free and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and ensuring Lebanon's return to peace with full respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Macron also reaffirmed France's readiness to play its full role, as it has consistently sought to do since the conflict began. ■
