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"Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Metz signaled their readiness to join France and the United Kingdom's plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, after Iran already declared that the waterway is 'completely open.' "We are prepared to make a German contribution to securing free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. [...] This could include a deployment of the Bundeswehr within the framework of an international operation," Merz announced in a joint press conference following talks in Paris. "As soon as there is a secure legal basis for this, for example in the form of a Security Council resolution. For this, I need a decision by the Federal Government in Germany, a mandate from the German Bundestag, and a viable military concept," he noted. For her part, Giorgia Meloni described freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as a top priority for Italy, Europe and the international community, stressing its economic importance for the transit of energy and fertiliser shipments. She also framed the reopening of Hormuz as central to addressing wider Middle East tensions, rather than as a purely technical shipping issue. "We all understand the magnitude of this challenge," she added. "The objective obviously requires an effort that involves different areas: the diplomatic one, the security one, also the humanitarian one." Meloni said 'Italy is ready to play its part' in securing the Strait, while stressing that any international naval presence in Hormuz could only be deployed after a cessation of hostilities, 'with an exclusively defensive posture.' "Italy offers, within the framework I have just outlined, its willingness to make its own naval units available, clearly on the basis of a necessary parliamentary authorisation according to our constitutional rules," she said. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans for a multinational naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement came as both Iran and the United States signalled the strait would be reopened to commercial traffic for the remainder of the ceasefire. Despite the reopening, Trump confirmed the US naval blockade targeting Iranian-linked shipping would remain in place until a permanent agreement is reached with Tehran. He has repeatedly criticised NATO allies over their response to the crisis and, shortly after the UK-French announcement, described the alliance as a 'paper tiger' that was 'useless when needed', urging them to 'STAY AWAY' from Hormuz. The situation leaves European allies preparing a mission that has yet to launch, while the United States continues to pursue its own strategy in the region, further exposing tensions within the already fractured alliance."
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