LONDON — NATO is not backing a U.S. plan to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.
Member countries of the military alliance made their position clear Monday (April 13).
According to NATO sources, member states do not want to be drawn into any kind of military intervention in the Strait of Hormuz while the conflict continues. They favor holding off on such steps until the situation calms.
The British newspaper The Guardian reported that NATO’s position could displease U.S. President Donald Trump. It said the stance threatens to strain existing diplomatic ties between Washington and the alliance. Trump had earlier claimed other countries would stand with the United States in the move to blockade the strait. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC in an interview, “We are not supporting this blockade. No matter what pressure comes, we will not be drawn directly into this war.”
Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland and Greece, along with several other NATO countries, have also rejected the use of military force in the Strait of Hormuz.
French President Emmanuel Macron, by contrast, took a softer position. He said discussions were under way with Britain and other countries about forming an international mission to keep commercial shipping moving normally. But he said such an initiative would not be carried out until the situation improved.
The NATO stance on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important routes in the global energy supply, adds a new dimension to Middle East geopolitics.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report