The security of the Strait of Hormuz took center stage Tuesday as NATO foreign ministers and their counterparts from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries met in Ankara to discuss maritime stability, regional security and the protection of one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes.
The high-level meeting, held on the sidelines of the 36th NATO Summit, brought together ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates amid continuing concerns over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz following months of heightened tensions between Iran and the United States.
France and the United Kingdom presented proposals for a multinational maritime mission aimed at safeguarding commercial shipping through the waterway, which carries nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies.
Diplomats, however, acknowledged that Iran’s continued opposition to any foreign military presence makes the initiative difficult to implement without Tehran’s cooperation.
The discussions gained urgency after reports of another security incident in regional waters. Britain’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a commercial tanker was struck east of Oman’s Limah area, while media reports indicated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard had fired missiles toward commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to news agencies.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot stressed that Gulf security remains closely linked to European interests, noting that Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE had all faced Iranian attacks earlier this year. He said stability in the Gulf was essential not only for regional peace but also for global energy security.
Iran has maintained pressure on maritime traffic since military confrontations with the United States and Israel earlier this year, and although an interim understanding was reached in June, shipping companies continue to face elevated risks, higher insurance costs and operational disruptions.
European countries have sought to avoid direct military involvement while exploring ways to secure international shipping routes. France and Britain are leading efforts to establish a coalition of nations capable of protecting commercial vessels once regional conditions improve.
Diplomatic sources said the proposed mission could initially focus on the Gulf of Oman rather than the Strait of Hormuz itself. Oman has already agreed to cooperate with Britain and France in safeguarding navigation through its territorial waters, according to a joint statement issued earlier this month.
Several diplomats described Tuesday’s discussions as largely symbolic, pointing out that any long-term maritime security arrangement would ultimately depend on Iran’s acceptance. Tehran has repeatedly rejected foreign military deployments in the Gulf, arguing that regional security should be managed by countries in the region.
The NATO summit also highlighted evolving US-Türkiye defense relations. Meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, US President Donald Trump said Washington would consider allowing Türkiye back into the F-35 fighter jet program after its suspension in 2019 over Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.
Trump also indicated that the United States was prepared to review sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), saying Washington did not wish to sanction allied nations.
Erdoğan expressed confidence that bilateral discussions would produce a positive outcome on both the F-35 program and defense cooperation.
The prospect of renewed US-Türkiye defense ties has generated regional debate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly urged Washington not to proceed with the sale, arguing that providing advanced fighter aircraft to Türkiye could alter the military balance in the Middle East.
With maritime security, regional stability and defense cooperation dominating discussions, the Ankara summit underscored the increasingly interconnected security challenges facing NATO and its Gulf partners, while reaffirming the strategic importance of maintaining safe navigation through one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.
