More than 20 countries say want to contribute to efforts for safe passage in Hormuz strait

DUBAI: More than 20 countries on Saturday said they would contribute to efforts ensuring safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz, condemning Iran’s closure of the vital waterway.

“We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” said the 22 countries, mostly European but also including the UAE and Bahrain.

“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,” they said in a joint statement.

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After the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, Tehran has retaliated with strikes on its Gulf neighbours but also on vessels in the strait.

From March 1 to 19, commodities carriers made just 116 crossings, according to analytics firm Kpler – a decrease of 95 percent from peacetime averages.

Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas normally flows, and the numerous attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the Middle East, have sent energy prices soaring.

“We call for an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations,” the countries added.