US allies will seek President Donald Trump’s approval for a Europe-led plan to demine the Strait of Hormuz at next week’s Group of Seven summit in France.
The UK and France are leading the mine-clearing mission, which is operationally ready after work by military planners from more than 15 countries. The plan would have American allies deploy assets to the strait within days of a peace deal between the US and Iran.
Securing a G7 endorsement of the mission is one of the main goals of the summit’s Middle East agenda, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke anonymously to describe the private preparations.
European leaders see the mission as a way of showing Trump the continent is supporting the US after the president chided allies for not backing his war in Iran. They are also keen to get commercial ships moving again through the strait, which Iran has kept shut since the war began, blocking vital fuel shipments and damaging the global economy.
It remains unclear whether Trump will support the mine-clearing proposal. Last week, the president downplayed the threat that Iranian sea mines posed to commercial vessels, claiming US forces had “gotten rid of most of them” even though Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said large sections of the key waterway have been mined.
Spokespeople for the UK, US and French governments did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
The volatile situation in the Middle East is complicating preparations for the G7 meeting, which will take place in Evian from June 15 to June 17. On Monday, Iran and Israel traded missile strikes, threatening peace prospects and prompting Trump to call on both nations to immediately stop “shooting.” It is uncertain whether Trump will attend the summit, people familiar with the matter said.
Several Middle Eastern leaders have been invited to attend a G7 discussion on regional issues, though as of last week only Egypt’s Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi had confirmed participation, according to people familiar with the matter. Separately, efforts to persuade Chinese President Xi Jinping to travel to France on this occasion have been unsuccessful, the people said.
European officials have been in talks with US counterparts about the postwar mine-clearing effort for weeks, arguing the continent’s autonomous mine-hunting systems can help, especially given the limited American mine-sweeping capabilities. British and French officials are also prepared to open up a line of communication with Tehran on operational matters.
Nonetheless, the Trump administration has expressed frustration that Europe is only willing to deploy assets to the strait after a peace deal. The coalition of nations is insistent it will only start the mission once a “permissible environment” for its equipment and personnel is in place.
Germany has readied several naval units and sent them to the Mediterranean at the end of April. Its mine-sweeper Fulda could be deployed quickly to the strait in the event of an international agreement. Italy has also signaled readiness to provide naval assets.
The UK’s RFA Lyme Bay, carrying autonomous mine-hunting systems, is conducting exercises in the eastern Mediterranean ahead of potential deployment. France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has also been deployed near the strait.
