22 countries will be engaged in the Strait of Hormuz

The number of countries ready to take part in ensuring the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz has increased to 22, according to a joint statement by these states, cited by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We express our readiness to take part in the necessary efforts to guarantee the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. We welcome those countries that take part in the preparation plans," the statement says.

Last Thursday, a statement on joining the coalition to ensure the safety of ships in Six countries made the Strait of Hormuz: Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan.

The coalition of them, the Baltic states — Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and the Scandinavian — Denmark, Norway, Sweden, included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. From Arab countries, the UAE and Bahrain agreed to take part in it.

The coalition members stated that all countries benefit from the safety of using sea routes.

On February 28, the United States and Israel began striking targets in Iran, including Tehran, with civilian casualties and deaths reported. Iran is carrying out retaliatory strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on US military facilities in the Middle East region.

The escalation around Iran has led to the de facto blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, a key supply route to the world market for oil and liquefied natural gas from the Persian Gulf countries, and has also affected the level of oil exports and production in the region. In this regard, US President Donald Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and other countries to send ships to The Strait of Hormuz.