A French aircraft carrier is currently moving south of the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea as part of preparations for a potential mission aimed at reinstating confidence among shipowners operating in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway that has been effectively blocked due to the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Armed Forces of France announced that the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle is on its way to the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 percent of the world’s traded oil passed before the onset of the war.
President of France Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are leading a multinational initiative to restore freedom of movement in the strait, stating that this mission would be entirely defensive and would only be implemented once the conflict has concluded.
In a statement on X, Macron shared, “The multinational mission that France and the United Kingdom have set up can help restore confidence among shipowners and insurers.”
A French presidency official further stated, “What we are proposing is that Iran gains passage for its ships through the strait and in return commits to negotiating with the Americans on issues of nuclear materials, missiles, and the region, and we propose that the Americans, for their part, lift their blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and, in return, obtain Iran’s commitment to negotiations.”
Trump says Project Freedom will be paused for some time
The development comes after the US President, Donald Trump, announced that ‘Project Freedom’ would be paused for a short period of time.
According to his tweet on Truth Social, Trump said that Iran and the US have mutually agreed that, while the blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the agreement can be finalised and signed.
Read more: “Project Freedom will be paused for a short period of time”: Trump closes Strait of Hormuz
