Rome, 19 March (LaPresse) – The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan, in a joint statement on the Strait of Hormuz released by Downing Street, express their “willingness” to “contribute to the efforts necessary to ensure safe passage through the Strait”, welcoming “the commitment of the nations engaged in preparatory planning”. In the statement, the signatories also condemn “in the strongest possible terms Iran’s recent attacks on unarmed merchant ships in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces” and express “deep concern” over the escalation of the conflict. “We call on Iran to immediately cease its threats, the laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817,” the statement reads.
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