London, 20 March (H.S.):

Britain France Germany Italy Japan and the Netherlands announced Thursday they stand ready to contribute to securing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz but only after a ceasefire ends the raging conflict leaving three of them to clarify no immediate military moves.

The joint statement slammed Irans recent assaults on unarmed commercial ships in the Gulf including mines drones and missiles that have crippled traffic through this vital chokepoint where a fifth of global crude oil and LNG normally flows. Twenty-three vessels ten of them tankers reported attacks stranding 20000 seafarers on 3200 ships west of the strait per the International Maritime Organization with the group decrying threats to navigation under UN maritime law.

Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto stressed no Hormuz entry without a truce and a UN-backed multilateral push while Germany's Boris Pistorius tied any involvement to post-ceasefire conditions plus parliamentary approval.

French President Emmanuel Macron revealed plans to consult UN Security Council permanents on a framework for future operations once the firefight stops saying exploratory talks are underway in Brussels after Thursdays European summit.

A UK defence official noted Thursday the threat level is too hot for warships right now though London dispatched a small team of planners to US Central Command to map next steps. The overture follows US President Donald Trumps push for NATO and others to help reopen the strait paralyzed since the February 28 war kickoff when America and Israel bombed Iran prompting Tehrans Gulf-wide retaliation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar