EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - The proposed naval operation for the Strait of Hormuz, put forward by U.S. partners as a next step after a framework agreement to halt fighting with Iran, seeks to build confidence among ship crews and insurance providers. It would focus on clearing explosive remnants and offering possible armed escorts for safe transit through the tight passage.

France and Britain have spent months developing these concepts. French President Emmanuel Macron first raised the notion in March amid active hostilities, suggesting that naval vessels could accompany oil tankers and cargo ships once conditions stabilized.

U.S. President Donald Trump informed Macron during their Monday meeting at the Group of Seven gathering that extensive assistance appears unnecessary, since the channel should remain accessible under the emerging accord with Iran. He added that a limited presence of one or two vessels from select nations could still prove useful and singled out France as well suited for the role.

The following points clarify the scope of the mission that allies are advocating to restore energy shipments:

In a joint statement supporting the framework accord, which would prolong the U.S.-Iran pause in fighting and permit reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the partners affirmed their readiness to contribute to swift restoration of the route under conditions of full navigational freedom.

The declaration came from France, Britain, Germany, Japan and Italy, with Canada soon adding its support; all belong to the G7 alongside the United States.

The group called for a purely defensive, autonomous operation aimed at reassuring commercial traffic and performing mine-clearance tasks.

France has already positioned its nuclear-powered carrier Charles de Gaulle in the area, having sent it first to the eastern Mediterranean in early March before routing it onward via the Suez Canal into the Arabian Sea.

Additional forces from the Netherlands, Italy and Britain that are already nearby could provide rapid support, according to Macron.

The French leader informed Trump that French aircraft could begin surveillance flights over the critical route as early as Tuesday, with frigates arriving within 48 hours and the carrier following in two to three days.

Macron stressed that such steps would occur only if requested, noting they demonstrate a readiness to assist even if ultimately unneeded.

Mine-clearance ships would target submerged hazards that may be launched by rocket, tethered by cable or resting on the bottom and activated by sound, motion or illumination.

Trump noted that some mines have already been detected and that searches for others are ongoing, while observing that the strait is now partly accessible.

The U.K. Royal Navy has highlighted its specialized capabilities by hosting journalists aboard the support vessel RFA Lyme Bay near Gibraltar last month ahead of potential deployment.

French, American, British and allied naval teams possess prior experience escorting merchant vessels through contested waters in the region, having protected shipping from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces in the Red Sea.

French warships employed machine guns, cannons and advanced air-defense missiles against Houthi threats. The frigate Alsace intercepted three ballistic missiles while escorting a container ship in 2024; its then-commander, Capt. Jerome Henry, described the experience as unsettling and draining for crews, an assessment shared by U.S. Navy personnel.

Should the mission reach the Strait of Hormuz, naval units would anticipate reduced risks provided the ceasefire endures. Nevertheless, with Iran retaining missile, drone and other capabilities, defensive systems would remain available against any renewed threats.

Analyst Max Bergmann of the Center for Strategic and International Studies observed that a naval mission becomes far less essential once a ceasefire is in place. A combined British-French presence could still deliver modest security gains, raise the cost to Iran of resuming hostilities, signal European engagement with Gulf nations and ease concerns among shippers and insurers, though its overall impact should not be overstated.

Joint planning between France and Britain has drawn in participants ranging from Australia, South Korea and Japan to Bahrain, Qatar, Canada and more than a dozen European states.

A gathering of defense ministers and other officials convened last month by France and Britain on the plans included representatives from 38 countries.