NATO chief says group of 22 countries prepares to reopen Strait of Hormuz, closed by Iran

Ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz on March 19, 2026 AP A group of 22 countries made up of NATO members and allies from the Middle East, Asia and Oceania is preparing an “initiative” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and “ensure” safe and free navigation for ships, according to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp The Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, has been closed by Iran since February 28, at the start of the war with the USA and Israel. “Since Thursday, a group of 22 countries has been coming together to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is free and reopens as quickly as possible. (…) What we need to do is work together,” Rutte said in interviews with US media on Sunday (22). The head of NATO did not reveal all the countries that will participate in the attack. See below the list of some of the group’s members. However, the NATO secretary general did not make clear how this opening of the Strait of Hormuz would happen in practice, because the military presence of countries other than the USA and Iran in the region could increase the risk of an even greater spread of the war. See the videos that are trending on g1 In interviews with the North American TV channels “Fox News” and “CBS”, Rutte limited himself to saying that the countries are in tune to “answer Trump’s call” and “implement the vision” of the American president to ensure the reopening of the strait as quickly as possible. According to Rutte, military authorities from these 22 countries are now planning the attack in a coordinated manner. Rutte did not mention all the countries that make up the group, but it is mostly made up of NATO allies, according to the secretary general. See below the members we know so far: United States; United Kingdom; France; United Arab Emirates; Bahrain; Japan; South Korea; Australia; New Zealand. Rutte’s speech comes amid US President Donald Trump’s criticism of NATO allies for responding negatively to a request to send military ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The issue was yet another point of friction between Washington and the EU in recent days amid the war in the Middle East.

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