Allies seek proof before Hormuz reopening

Donald Trump’s pledge that the Strait of Hormuz will be “completely opened” by Friday has left European partners pressing for details before committing naval assets to clear mines and escort commercial vessels through the world’s most sensitive energy chokepoint.

The US president arrived at the Group of Seven summit in Évian-les-Bains saying a preliminary US-Iran accord had settled the immediate question of shipping access after months of disruption across the Gulf. “Ships are starting to go out now,” he said, adding that crews were “hunting for a couple of mines” and that traffic would return fully once the agreement is formally signed in Switzerland on June 19.

European leaders, while welcoming any easing of hostilities, have treated the timetable with caution. Their concern is not only whether Tehran has accepted unrestricted passage, but whether navies, insurers and shipowners can verify a safe corridor through waters where even a single mine could close lanes again. France, Britain and Germany have signalled readiness to help secure the route, but officials want the text of the memorandum, the chain of command, and clarity on Oman’s role before dispatching forces into a contested waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Before the war, it carried roughly one fifth of global oil and petroleum product consumption and about one fifth of liquefied natural gas trade, much of it from Qatar and other Gulf producers to Asia. Its disruption has pushed up energy costs, forced tankers to wait in anchorage, tightened LNG supply, and added pressure to inflation-sensitive economies facing freight and insurance surcharges.

The preliminary accord, described by officials as short and still incomplete, extends a ceasefire framework and opens the way for broader talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, missile activity and regional militias. Washington says the opening of the strait is central to the arrangement. Tehran has said commercial vessels can move once the document is signed, but it has also pushed for recognition of a role in managing transit and floated fees for passage, a demand European capitals view as incompatible with freedom of navigation.

That ambiguity explains the gap between Trump’s public confidence and the slower response from shipowners. Major operators have not rushed to resume normal schedules, and tanker executives say they need more than political assurances. War-risk premiums, crew safety rules and charter-party liabilities will not reset until mine surveys, naval notices and port guidance show that the channel is usable. Shipping associations have told members to wait for confirmed security instructions rather than summit statements.

Mine clearance is the hardest practical test. Maritime security specialists say a credible sweep could take weeks if mines are dispersed across approaches, anchorages or narrow traffic separation lanes. Modern mine-hunting depends on sonar, unmanned vehicles, divers and specialised ships, and the process must be repeated if fresh intelligence suggests new hazards. European forces have Gulf patrol and Red Sea escort experience, but a Hormuz operation would carry greater escalation risk because it would require coordination with US forces, Iran and Oman while tensions with Israel and Hezbollah remain unresolved.

Emmanuel Macron has cast the issue as a test of whether the G7 can turn a fragile ceasefire into durable access to energy markets. France says aircraft, frigates and a carrier group could be made available quickly, while Britain has mine-countermeasure expertise and Germany is considering support within political and legal constraints. None of those governments wants to underwrite an agreement whose terms are not yet visible.