G7 countries on Tuesday expressed willingness to help President Donald Trump with next steps in Iran, including a complicated effort to remove mines from the Strait of Hormuz — that is, if the deal to end the war is as solid as Americans project,
Politico reports.
Amid questions about the yet unreleased Iran memorandum of understanding due to be signed Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron said this week he could be ready to quickly deploy fighter jets and frigates, but that a request must come from not only the U.S., but also Iran and Oman. A U.K. official said Britain “stands ready” to send assets to the region but would not specify conditions or a timeline for deployment.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz appeared keen on providing help, too, but said only once the “necessary conditions” are in place. And Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during Tuesday’s lunch with Middle East Leaders, said Italy was willing to keep contributing to missions that guarantee security for trade, according to an Italian diplomat granted anonymity to speak about private discussions. But she also insisted that long-lasting solutions were needed especially in Gaza and in Lebanon, which could be a major stumbling block to Trump’s agreement with Iran.
U.S. officials this week at the G7 have prioritized getting international cooperation to quickly demine the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil flowed before the war began.
Trump, during Monday’s dinner with the other leaders, “insisted a lot on the reopening of Hormuz and on the need to clear the strait of mines,” according to a G7 official granted anonymity to disclose the private conversation.
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a ship or two up here from a few countries. You’d be a great country to do it,” Trump said during his bilateral meeting with Macron on Monday.
But Europe’s cautious response speaks to the lingering uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s promise to end its war with Iran. The White House has not released the full details of the memorandum of understanding, complicating discussions among leaders at the Évian summit.
“The Europeans have a lot of experience in negotiating with Iran. They know how difficult it can be. They know how savvy the Iranians are about playing every opportunity. And I imagine they just don’t want to be left holding the bag,” said Suzanne Maloney, a Middle East analyst who directs the Brookings Institution’s foreign policy program.
“If [Europeans] can find a way to take greater ownership without necessarily being responsible for an outcome that they can’t control, then I think there’s an opportunity here.”
