Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the UK and France will work to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as conditions allow”.

Britain and France will lead a “multinational mission” aimed at protecting ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the prime minister said at a gathering of world leaders in Paris on Friday.

“I can confirm that along with France, the UK will lead a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation as soon as conditions allow,” he said.

“This will be strictly peaceful and defensive, as a mission to reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance.

“We invite all nations with an interest in the free flow of global trade to join us. Some have already indicated their readiness to contribute.

“We will take this forward with a military planning conference in London next week where we will announce more detail on the composition of the mission, and over a dozen countries have already offered to contribute assets.”

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