NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed on Sunday that a group of 22 countries, most of them members of the Atlantic alliance, is analyzing the possibility of adopting joint measures to allow the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked by Iran in retaliation for attacks by the United States and Israel. 'It is clear that the military campaign in Iran is still ongoing, so we are now working with these countries, as well as with the United States, to assess what, when, and how we can do to ensure it,' he added. After the United States and Israel launched their attacks against Iran on February 22 last year, Tehran began blocking the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for the supply of oil and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf countries to the global market. Amid the paralysis of the strait, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged several affected countries to send ships to the region to restore navigation. However, his call went without concrete support from his allies. In this regard, the U.S. leader indicated that NATO's authority had been severely undermined due to its unwillingness to help the United States unblock this critical transit route for hydrocarbons. However, he did not specify when the countries will be ready to take concrete actions in the strait.
