The move is part of efforts to show Washington that the U.K. \u2014 which has angered U.S. President Donald Trump by staying out of offensive missions during the U.S.-Israel war with Iran \u2014 is prepared to make a serious contribution to policing the key passage through the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n
Britain and France have jointly convened a series of meetings aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the trade artery and alleviating some of the economic pressure which has been caused by its closure at the beginning of March.<\/p>\n
However, participating countries are split on what role the U.S. should play in their initiative, while the White House has insisted<\/a> it does not need any assistance from Europe. Trump previously dismissed British naval assets as “toys.”<\/p>\n The fate of the shipping lane remains highly uncertain after the U.S. president announcement Tuesday that he was\u00a0indefinitely extending the ceasefire<\/a>, which was set to expire Wednesday.<\/p>\n He has specified a U.S. blockade over the strait will remain. Iran signaled it will not send\u00a0a negotiating team to continue talks<\/a>\u00a0with the U.S. in Pakistan until the blockade is lifted, and has since seized two foreign ships<\/a> traveling through Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n