Britain and France announced on Friday their readiness to deploy a multinational military mission to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, with Oman agreeing to cooperate in securing its territorial waters. The joint statement by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron described the waterway as a “vital artery of the global economy” and said restoring safe passage for all nations’ vessels was a matter of international concern. Simultaneously, Macron confirmed that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would return to its home port of Toulon after nearly two months near the strait, but that French minesweepers, two frigates and a maritime patrol aircraft would remain in the region. At a press conference with Starmer, Macron also welcomed a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran as an important step toward regional stability.

The initiative elicited contrasting official reactions. London and Paris stressed that the mission would respect state sovereignty and international law, and that Oman’s cooperation was secured for operations within its territorial waters. Iranian officials, however, rejected any expanded foreign military presence. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the Strait of Hormuz was “not a military playground for extra-regional powers” and warned that Tehran would not permit France or other countries to use security as a pretext for a larger footprint. Iran’s foreign ministry has previously asserted that the strait lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, and that its management must be based on the responsibility of coastal states and existing agreements, specifically citing paragraph five of the ceasefire accord that ended the Iran–Iraq war. Tehran also holds the United States, Israel and their allies responsible for creating insecurity in the region through what it terms an aggressive war.

The French carrier’s departure signals a reduction in the highest level of military alert, yet the retention of mine-countermeasure vessels and the stated readiness for a wider mission indicate that Western governments still assess a risk of renewed disruption. The moves follow a period of attacks on shipping during the conflict between Iran and the US and Israel, which placed pressure on energy markets and drove up fuel prices. The temporary US–Iran understanding has lowered immediate tensions, but the naval posture suggests a hedging strategy. Viewed from European capitals, the mission is a necessary measure to protect a chokepoint through which a significant share of global oil transits. From Tehran’s perspective, any foreign military presence is a violation of sovereignty and a continuation of external intervention that undermines regional security, which it argues can only be achieved through cooperation among all regional states without outside interference.

The joint statement said the two countries would continue working with partners and were prepared to deploy a “wider multinational military mission” to support freedom of navigation. No timeline or specific composition was provided. Iran’s warning that it will not allow an expanded presence sets the stage for potential diplomatic and operational friction. The US–Iran memorandum of understanding, which Macron praised, may influence the pace and scope of the mission. The dossier remains open, with Western allies balancing de-escalation with a continued show of force, while Iran insists on a regional security framework free of extra-regional powers.