European Leaders Convene in Paris as Iran Reopens Strategic Strait of Hormuz

European leaders gathered at the Elysée Palace in Paris on April 17, 2026, for the Conference on Maritime Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran announced it would reopen the strategically vital waterway to commercial vessels during a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon that took effect at midnight on Thursday, April 16. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attended in person, while representatives from approximately 50 countries and international organizations participated overall, with about 30 joining via video link. The summit, organized jointly by Paris and London, aimed to build a security framework for the resumption of navigation through the strait. The United States did not participate in the conference. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on social media that commercial ship passage would remain "completely open" during the ceasefire period.

France and UK to lead defensive naval mission in strait France and the United Kingdom announced they would jointly lead a multinational defensive mission to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once security conditions allow, with a planning meeting scheduled for the following week. Macron called for the reopening to be unconditional, demanding the restoration of free passage conditions that existed before the war. „We ask for the complete, immediate and unconditional opening by all parties of the Strait of Hormuz.” — Emmanuel Macron via Rai News Macron added that the mission would be "strictly defensive" and limited to non-belligerent countries. Starmer welcomed Iran's announcement but stressed that durability was essential. „We positively welcome the announcement from Iran regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but we need to ensure that this agreement is lasting and functional. We are very clear: the mission we have prepared is defensive and follows the ceasefire.” — Keir Starmer via ANSA Starmer also stated that the strait must be reopened without tolls, calling the issue one that "the whole world needs a solution" for. The Elysée noted that the mission's activation depended on two conditions: that the strait is not mined and that no form of toll is introduced.

Meloni offers Italian naval units, Merz eyes US involvement Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as central to any resolution of the broader Middle East conflict, and announced Italy's readiness to contribute to the multinational mission. „Reopening Hormuz means addressing the critical issues and building an essential element for any solution to the Middle Eastern conflict.” — Giorgia Meloni via ANSA Meloni stated that Italy would offer naval units for the mission subject to parliamentary authorization under Italian constitutional rules, drawing a parallel with Italy's existing participation in the Aspides and Atalanta missions. She emphasized that approximately 20% (of global oil and LNG consumption) — passes through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside fertilizers critical to global food security. Meloni also said the summit demonstrated that the European Union could "do its part" in addressing the crisis. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed that it would be "desirable" for the United States to participate in the international navigation security mission, though the Elysée made clear that the coalition would not formally include Washington, as Europe was not a party to the conflict.

Trump maintains naval blockade despite reopening announcement US President Donald Trump confirmed the strait's reopening in a social media post written in capital letters, but stated that the US Navy blockade of Iranian ships and ports would remain in effect until a "transaction" with Iran is 100% completed. The Elysée noted that the current situation amounted to only an "informal truce whose duration is not established," underscoring European concern about the fragility of the arrangement. Oil prices fell sharply following Araghchi's announcement that commercial passage would remain open during the ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by Tehran following US and Israeli strikes against Iran that began on February 28, 2026, under an operation that killed then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Oil prices had surged sharply after the closure of the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil normally passes. The summit's format drew on the "coalition of the willing" model that had previously been applied to the Ukraine conflict, now mobilized for the Middle East crisis. The Paris conference was framed by French sources as a "third way" between maximum pressure on Iran and a resumption of full-scale war, including Iranian strikes against Gulf states. European leaders insisted they would proceed in dialogue with Washington but would not formally join a US-led coalition. The summit's outcome pointed toward a coordinated European naval presence in the strait, contingent on the ceasefire holding and Iran providing firm commitments not to fire on passing vessels.