Ammon News - Britain will host military planners from over 30 countries for two days of talks starting Wednesday on a multinational mission led by the UK and France to protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the defence ministry said.

The ministry said the meeting would "advance detailed planning" on reopening the Strait when conditions allow, following "progress" at talks in Paris last week.

"The task today and tomorrow is to translate diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait and support a lasting ceasefire," Defence Minister John Healey said in a statement.

He said he was confident "real progress can be made".

The conference comes after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired international talks on the strategic strait in Paris on Friday that brought together over 40 countries.

Britain and France emphasised the force would be entirely defensive and only deployed once lasting peace in the region was agreed.

AFP