March 20, 2026
The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada have issued a joint statement saying that they will take appropriate efforts to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and to stabilize the energy market. The statement also condemned the attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf and civilian infrastructure by Iran and called on Iran to cease attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz for commercial ships. Italy, Germany, and France later clarified that they would focus on facilitating a potential multilateral initiative after a ceasefire, rather than any immediate military aid.