Next week, the Netherlands will send a naval frigate to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the safe passage of oil tankers through the Persian Gulf. This European naval mission is led by France and is explicitly not a NATO operation, of which the United States is also a member.
Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Portugal support the European mission in the Strait of Hormuz to guarantee free navigation there. They announced this in a joint statement. This support is political and not backed by military resources. The Netherlands is participating in the France-led mission with a naval vessel. It was already known that Denmark and Greece support the mission.
The mission was initiated because last summer several oil tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, probably by Iranians. The strait is crucial for the world oil trade. The recent tensions between the United States and Iran are especially concerning, according to the statement.
The Netherlands, France, Denmark, and Greece have pledged contributions to the mission. These four new countries are expressing their political support for the mission. The Dutch naval ship Zr. Ms. De Ruyter will depart next week for the Middle East. It will participate in the mission in the Strait of Hormuz for six months.
Through EMASOH, the eight European countries aim to contribute, according to the statement, to the protection of oil tankers and cargo ships, as well as to a broader de-escalation in the volatile region. Last year, the US called for a joint mission, but this invitation was declined by the European countries.
France, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Greece have already made concrete commitments to the European mission. “We look forward to further engagements in the coming days,” the joint statement says. The mission’s headquarters will be established in the United Arab Emirates.
Minister Stef Blok (Foreign Affairs) described the support of the four other European countries as an important step. He held consultations in Brussels on Monday with his European colleagues. Blok has no indications yet that more EU countries will join the mission. Before the Dutch ship departs, there will be an assessment of the security-political situation in the Gulf, Blok stated.