The planned multinational naval force for the Strait of Hormuz is shelved due to political obstacles, with assets remaining in the Arabian Sea.
No official statement has been made, but the plan has effectively come to an end.
The multinational naval force planned to operate in the region, led by Europe, in the event of a security crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, appears to have been shelved without an official announcement. It is reported that the initiative, which approximately 40 countries expressed interest in supporting, is now considered to have a low probability of being implemented due to political and diplomatic obstacles.
Naval assets are waiting in the Arabian Sea.
The preliminary naval assets prepared for the task force are still forward-deployed in the Arabian Sea, utilizing the multinational naval facilities in Djibouti.
The French-led aircraft carrier strike group includes the Aquitaine-class anti-submarine destroyer, the Royal Navy's air defense destroyer HMS Dragon (D35), and the supply ship FS Jacques Chevallier (A725).
The mine warfare group is commanded by the German Navy's FGS Mosel (A512). The task group also includes the mine countermeasures vessel FGS Fulda (M1058) and the autonomous mine warfare mother ship RFA Lyme Bay (L3007).
The Italian Navy's mine countermeasures vessels ITS Crotone (M5558) and ITS Rimini (M5561), along with the patrol vessel ITS Montecuccoli (P455), are also being prepared to join the force, currently stationed in Djibouti under the EU Naval Forces' Operation Aspides. Other European warships are also reportedly waiting for the Hormuz task force to become active.
The biggest problem with the plan is that the mission would only begin after the conflict ended.
According to the operational concept prepared, the Hormuz task force would only be deployed to the region after a permanent ceasefire was established in the strait and the security environment was fully stabilized.
However, it is stated that the likelihood of this happening under current conditions is quite low.
The plan also required the approval of Iran and Oman, which have coastlines along the strait, for the task force to operate. The reluctance of both countries to allow foreign military forces to operate in the region stands out as one of the biggest diplomatic obstacles to the plan.
Some security experts consider the idea of a 'naval force that will only be deployed after the possibility of conflict has been eliminated' to be a serious strategic mistake.
It was Starmer's foreign policy project.
The Hormuz Force is said to be an important part of the defense and foreign policy vision of the former UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The initiative, which was expected to strengthen the claim of leadership in the international arena alongside the Defense Investment Plan, is anticipated to be officially shelved with Starmer's withdrawal from the political scene.
Iran: Hormuz is not a showcase for foreign navies.
The Iranian administration has opposed the presence of foreign military forces in the Strait of Hormuz from the beginning.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hazem Gharibabadi stated in an interview with Mehr News Agency on July 4, 'The Strait of Hormuz is not a military showcase for external powers.'
Gharibabadi also referred to France and the United Kingdom, saying, 'The security of the Strait of Hormuz is the responsibility of the coastal states.'
It is known that Iran has long viewed the reduction of foreign military presence in the region as one of its strategic goals.
Oman is also not in favor of foreign intervention.
Oman similarly argues that the security of the strait is the responsibility of Iran under the framework of the agreement signed between Iran and the United States.
The Muscat administration believes that if Iran needs assistance with mine clearance, it can only be considered at Tehran's request.
During the recent official visits of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to France and the United Kingdom, no support statements regarding the Hormuz Force were made.
However, in the joint statement released after the visit to France, it was emphasized that Oman adheres to the principle of free, unconditional, and uninterrupted navigation in the Strait of Hormuz under maritime law.
Europe's naval force may shift to the Red Sea.
The failure of the Hormuz plan does not necessarily mean that the naval force established by Europe in the region will become completely non-functional.
In recent weeks, tensions have risen again in Yemen, with reports that the Houthis have declared a general mobilization and increased their harsh rhetoric against Saudi Arabia.
If the largely maintained ceasefire since April 2022 is broken, it is expected that conflicts will spread back to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In such a scenario, due to the heavy presence of the U.S. in various regions, it is assessed that the European naval assets prepared for the Hormuz mission could be redirected to this area under the EU Naval Forces' Operation Aspides, which is responsible for protecting commercial maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
