The White House is reportedly seeking international partners for a new maritime coalition aimed at safeguarding commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions with Iran…reports Asian Lite News
The White House is pushing to build a new US led international coalition to safeguard commercial shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to a media report.
The proposed initiative, named the “Maritime Freedom Construct” (MFC), was outlined in an internal cable sent by the United States Department of State to American embassies earlier this week, urging diplomats to encourage foreign governments to join the effort, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, the coalition would operate as a joint initiative between the State Department and United States Central Command. While the State Department would oversee diplomatic coordination, Central Command would provide real time maritime monitoring and help facilitate information sharing among partner nations and their militaries.
The report said participating countries would cooperate on intelligence sharing, diplomatic coordination and sanctions enforcement aimed at ensuring safe passage for vessels navigating the narrow but crucial waterway.
The cable reportedly instructed American diplomats to ask foreign governments whether they wished to participate as “diplomatic and/or military partners”.
“Your participation will strengthen our collective ability to restore freedom of navigation and protect the global economy,” the cable stated, according to the report. It added that “collective action is essential to demonstrate unified resolve and impose meaningful costs on Iranian obstruction of transit through the Strait”.
The proposed coalition would also work alongside existing maritime security arrangements, including initiatives reportedly led by the United Kingdom and France.
Tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have intensified amid stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran. The waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil and gas supplies passes, has become a flashpoint in the broader dispute between Washington and Tehran.
According to the report, Iran has been targeting vessels that fail to pay transit fees, while the US Navy has imposed restrictions on ships travelling to and from Iranian ports.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the naval blockade on Iran would remain in place until Tehran agreed to a deal with Washington focused on its nuclear programme.
“The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing,” Trump told the news outlet Axios in a telephone interview.
Meanwhile, an Iranian security official warned that Tehran would soon respond to the US naval measures with what was described as “practical and unprecedented action”.
The continuing standoff has fuelled concerns over rising global energy prices and growing instability in the region. The report added that shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply since large scale military strikes involving the United States and Israel against Iran earlier this year.
With tensions still unresolved, some American officials reportedly fear the prolonged confrontation could end without either a renewed nuclear agreement or a decisive resolution to the conflict.US seeks global alliance to protect Strait of Hormuz traffic
