Key facts
- EU's diplomatic service proposed Aspides naval mission for Hormuz mine clearance.
- Proposal is part of EU's contribution to a Franco-British-led initiative.
- Mine clearance would occur when conditions allow and be separated from belligerents.
- Changing Aspides mission's mandate requires unanimity among EU member states.
The European Union's diplomatic service, the European External Action Service (EEAS), has proposed that the bloc's Aspides naval mission take the primary role in clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz. This proposal, detailed in a note dated May 26 and seen by Reuters, is intended as the EU's contribution to an ad hoc coalition led by France and the United Kingdom. The EEAS stated that the Union needs to provide a meaningful contribution to this initiative, which would be materialized once conditions allow and is separated from belligerents. The specific task for EUNAVFOR ASPIDES would be to undertake the primary role in mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz. However, any change to the Aspides mission's mandate would require unanimous agreement from all 27 EU member countries, and it is currently unclear if this support exists. Around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Hostilities have recently flared near the Strait, with Iranian attacks on Kuwait and U.S. military strikes. The EU's diplomatic arm noted the 'immense shared consequences' of the Strait's de facto closure. France and Britain are leading efforts to form a coalition for safe transit once the situation stabilizes. It is unclear if Iran has placed mines in the waterway. The EU's contribution would showcase EU-wide ownership and responsibility, and allow member states to financially support contributing nations.