More than 20 countries pledge support for safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz

FILE PHOTO: Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 20 countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, have expressed readiness to support efforts to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in the Gulf.

In a joint statement, the leaders of 22 countries condemned in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations, as well as the de facto closure of the strategic waterway.