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U.S. allies will seek President Donald Trump's endorsement at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Evian, France, next week for a Europe-led plan to demine the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.K. and France are leading a mine-clearing mission that is operationally ready following planning by military experts from more than 15 countries, Bloomberg reported.
Türkiye separately said it would be willing to contribute to the mission if requested.
The Hormuz demining plan represents one of the most concrete post-war economic recovery initiatives to emerge from the conflict, but it hinges on both a U.S.-Iran peace deal and Trump's explicit backing, neither of which is guaranteed. Iran, meanwhile, continues to hold the strait effectively closed, disrupting 20% of global oil flows and driving up energy costs worldwide.
The U.K. and France have finalized the mine-clearing plan, which would see allied countries deploy assets to the strait within days of a U.S.-Iran peace agreement.
European leaders view the mission as a way to demonstrate to Trump that the continent is supporting Washington after the president had criticized allies for not backing his Iran war campaign.
"Securing a G7 endorsement is one of the summit's main Middle East agenda items," according to people familiar with the preparations, who spoke anonymously.
The summit runs from June 15 to 17 in Evian. It remains unclear whether Trump will attend the meeting or not.
European officials have argued for weeks that the continent's autonomous mine-hunting systems could fill a gap given limited American mine-sweeping capabilities. British and French officials are also prepared to open direct lines of communication with Tehran on operational matters.
The Trump administration has expressed frustration, however, that European allies are only willing to deploy to the strait after a peace deal is in place. The coalition is insisting on a "permissible environment" for its equipment and personnel before the mission begins.
Trump himself downplayed the mine threat last week, claiming U.S. forces had "gotten rid of most of them," a position at odds with Secretary of State Marco Rubio's public statements that large sections of the waterway remain mined.
Germany has readied several naval units, sent them to the Mediterranean at the end of April, and its mine-sweeper Fulda could be deployed quickly to the strait following an international agreement.
Italy has also signaled readiness to provide naval assets.
The U.K.'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 been deployed near the strait.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking to South Korean broadcaster JTBC during a visit to South Korea, said Türkiye would be willing to contribute to mine-clearing if requested.
"If an agreement is reached between the parties, or if we are asked to contribute to the mine-clearing process, we would be pleased to do so," Fidan said.
Meanwhile, Japan has set three conditions for joining the mission, Kyodo News reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. Conditions are reported as, "a U.S.-Iran ceasefire must be in place, communication channels with Tehran must be established, and the threat level in the strait must be reduced before Japan's Self-Defense Forces can be deployed."
Japan imports approximately 90% of its energy from the Gulf and was among the first countries to release oil from its strategic reserves following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Several Middle Eastern leaders have been invited to the G7's regional discussion session.
As of last week, only Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi had confirmed attendance. "Efforts to secure Chinese President Xi Jinping's participation were unsuccessful," according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg.
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