PARIS, France, April 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - France and Britain will work on a "peaceful multinational mission" to restore traffic through the Strait of Hormuz but it would be "separate from the warring parties", French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February sparked a region-wide war and brought to a near standstill traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas shipments.

Iran and the United States last week agreed to a two-week cessation of hostilities, but ceasefire talks between the warring sides in Pakistan on the weekend ended in failure.

US President Donald Trump responded by ordering his navy to carry out a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday.

Trump also said, on his Truth Social platform, that "Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade" but did not specify which ones.

The UK-French initiative, which Macron announced on X, appeared to be separate from Trump's announced blockade.

"In the coming days, together with the United Kingdom, we will organise a conference with those countries prepared to contribute alongside us to a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait," Macron said.

"This strictly defensive mission, separate from the warring parties to the conflict, is intended to be deployed as soon as circumstances permit."

The US military said the blockade ordered by Trump would begin at 1400 GMT, and apply to all ships leaving or seeking to dock at Iranian ports on either side of the key waterway.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that Britain will not join the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz announced by Trump.