On Saturday, March 21st, 22 countries from four continents united in a joint statement released by the United Arab Emirates to collectively condemn Iran’s attacks on merchant ships and civilian infrastructure, as well as its actual blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The joint statement was signed by the UAE, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Romania, Bahrain, Lithuania, and Australia.
The countries emphasized that freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law and warned that the disruption of shipping and energy supply chains poses a threat to global security. The statement underscored that “the impact of Iran’s actions will affect people worldwide, especially the most vulnerable groups.”
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the attacks on critical infrastructure in the region during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, stressing the need to ensure open and secure sea lanes.
Earlier on Thursday, only six countries (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Japan) issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s recent attacks on unarmed merchant ships in the Gulf region, assaults on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas facilities, and Iran’s military effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
The signatory countries further called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure and stated, “We are ready to make appropriate efforts to ensure the safe passage of the strait.” The statement also welcomed coordination for releasing strategic oil reserves and pledged support for the most severely affected countries.
As diplomatic pressure mounts, military actions are also escalating. US Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper confirmed that US forces dropped multiple 5,000-pound bombs on an underground facility along the Iranian coast this week, destroying anti-ship missiles, launch systems, and radar equipment used to threaten shipping.
Former President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social on Friday that the US is “very close” to achieving all objectives and is considering “wrapping up” military efforts in the Middle East. However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized on Saturday that despite Trump’s statement, the intensity of US-Israeli attacks on Iran’s terrorist regime and its facilities will “significantly increase” this week.
The Israeli military stated there are thousands of targets remaining within Iran and the war is expected to continue for several weeks until all war objectives are met. Currently, with the war against Iran entering its fourth week, thousands of US Marine Corps troops and sailors are still moving to the Middle East.