NATO weighs Hormuz security mission if Iran blockade remains in place by July

NATO is considering the possibility of becoming involved in efforts to secure maritime shipping and vessel transit in the Strait of Hormuz if Iran does not lift its blockade of the waterway by early July.

Bloomberg reported the planning, citing a senior source within the alliance and a diplomat from a member state.

According to information published by the agency, the initiative has received backing from several alliance members, although a consensus has yet to emerge among all allies.

The issue could be discussed at the alliance leaders’ summit scheduled to take place in Ankara on July 7-8.

Any potential move by the alliance in this direction would represent a major strategic shift in NATO’s institutional approach to conflicts linked to Iran.

In previous stages, alliance members had stated that a mission in the Strait of Hormuz could only be considered once military hostilities had fully ended and a broad international coalition had been established.

Iran imposed a blockade on the strategic waterway and closed it to maritime traffic following military operations and air strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian territory at the end of February.

Approximately 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

The closure of the waterway has further deepened political divisions between the US and its European allies.

US President Donald Trump called for military support for operations aimed at breaking the blockade of the maritime route, while some NATO member states refused to participate in the military action.

Spain, in particular, opposed the operation and did not allow the US to use its airspace or military bases for strikes against Iranian territory.

By contrast, most alliance members opened their infrastructure facilities to provide logistical support for the operations.

A report published in the Financial Times in April, citing unnamed sources, indicated that France and the United Kingdom were separately preparing a plan to secure maritime traffic in the region once military hostilities had ended.

In mid-May, Australia’s Defence Ministry announced that it would support the security mission that Paris and London are planning to deploy in the Strait of Hormuz.