BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 22. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a joint statement by 22 countries expressing their readiness to contribute to ensuring security in the Strait of Hormuz, Trend reports.
“We express our willingness to contribute to relevant measures aimed at ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. We welcome the commitment of countries participating in the preparatory planning,” the statement says.
The statement was signed by Australia, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, the UAE, Romania, Slovenia, Finland, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia, South Korea, and Japan.
Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States (U.S.) and Iran over the nuclear program, the US and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day.
On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Supreme Leader by majority vote.
From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East.
According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 13 dead and more than 140 wounded.
The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the region’s energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region.