NATO foreign ministers are set to meet Gulf Arab counterparts in Ankara on Tuesday to address a stalemate over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The talks, held on the sidelines of a NATO summit, will include ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates after weeks of heightened tensions in the strategically important waterway. Sources report that the meeting also considers a Franco-British proposal for a multinational maritime mission to help manage the situation. Iran has so far dismissed the idea.
The discussions come despite an interim U.S.-Iran peace deal. In parallel, reporting and statements referenced incidents involving commercial shipping in the area. One report cited the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency saying a tanker was struck east of Oman’s Limah, and another report said Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired missiles at at least two commercial ships transiting the strait.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, speaking ahead of the meeting, links Gulf stability with broader security and said Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE were directly targeted by Iranian attacks earlier this spring. The NATO meeting focuses on coordinating responses among participating allies and Gulf partners amid continuing disruption and uncertainty around the strait.
