On Friday, the government of Bahrain along with 19 other countries issued a statement regarding the Strait of Hormuz along with 19 other countries, condemning Iran’s attacks on ships and expressing “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait.”
The countries, other than Bahrain, included United Kingdom; France; Germany; Italy; the Netherlands; Japan; Canada; Republic of Korea; New Zealand; Denmark; Latvia; Slovenia; Estonia; Norway; Sweden; Finland; Czechia; Romania; and Lithuania.
“We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” read the statement.
“We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict. We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.
We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.
Maritime security and freedom of navigation benefit all countries. We call on all states to respect international law and uphold the fundamental principles of international prosperity and security.”