March 23, 2026 | 11:37 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said 22 countries, most of them NATO members, have been coordinating since Thursday, March 19, on future security measures in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rutte made the remarks on Sunday, March 22, after U.S. President Donald Trump accused NATO of losing credibility because the alliance had been reluctant to help Washington reopen shipping lanes through the strategic waterway.
“The good news is this, that since Thursday, 22 countries, most of them NATO, but also Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Bahrain, the UAE, have come together to basically answer three questions, what do we need? When do we need it? And where do we need it?,” said Rutte, as quoted by CBS.
"These three questions are now worked through to answer the president's call, to make sure that we secure the free sailing through the Strait of Hormuz."
In addition to NATO members, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain are also taking part in the effort, he said.
Rutte did not specify which countries were prepared to take concrete action or what form that action would take.
He also said he had been on calls this week with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron, adding that the talks had led to 22 countries joining the initiative.
“This is why military planners are now working together to make sure that we are ready, to make sure that that street- that Strait of Hormuz, that we secure the free sailing there, which is crucial for the world economy,” said the former Dutch prime minister.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, including in Tehran, causing infrastructure damage and casualties. Iran later retaliated with attacks on Israeli territory and U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
The escalation has severely disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and liquefied petroleum gas supplies from the Gulf. Traffic through the waterway has largely ground to a halt, sending fuel prices higher in many countries. Recent reports said commercial shipping through the strait remains heavily constrained despite efforts to restore passage.
Read: Trump Gives Iran 48 Hours to Open Hormuz Strait or Face Attack
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Trump Calls NATO Allies 'Cowards' for Not Helping Against Iran
1 hari lalu
Trump calls NATO allies "cowards" for not helping secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump Says US Doesn't Need Assistance to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
5 hari lalu
President Trump asserted that the U.S. does not require assistance from other countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping.
Trump Delays China Visit Over Iran War
6 hari lalu
Trump will postpone his visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for at least a month due to the ongoing war with Iran.
NATO Allies Reject Trump Call to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
6 hari lalu
NATO allies & other Western nations rejected US President Donald Trump's demand that alliance members help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Denies Seeking Ceasefire or Talks with US, FM Says
7 hari lalu
Iran's Foreign Minister (FM), Abbas Araghchi, sets conditions that President US Donald Trump must declare this war illegal to end the war.
The Checkered History of US Regime Change Operations
16 hari lalu
Various US presidents have sent military forces to remove unpopular rulers abroad.
NATO Intercepts Iranian Ballistic Missile Headed for Turkey
18 hari lalu
Turkey's Defense Ministry said the missile, which flew over Iraq and Syria, "was engaged in a timely manner and rendered inactive."
NATO Sets Arctic Mission Plans in Motion
47 hari lalu
NATO on Tuesday said "planning is underway" for an Arctic mission.
Greenland Officials Say Sovereignty Is Not Negotiable
54 hari lalu
Denmark and Greenland warned the US against any attempt to take control of Greenland, emphasizing respect for territorial integrity.
Germany, France, Others Rebuke Trump's NATO Troop Disrespect
55 hari lalu
Ministers in Germany and France shot back at US President Donald Trump for his comments claiming that the US had "never needed" NATO allies.
