00:00The Iranian Foreign Minister Syed Abbas Arakchir declared the Strait of Hormuz completely open for business for the remainder of
00:06the 10-day ceasefire brokered yesterday between Israel and Lebanon.
00:11Vessels will be allowed to pass along the coordinated route announced by the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran.
00:17The announcement came as a coalition of mainly NATO countries were having talks in Paris to prepare a plan to
00:23resume navigation through the waterway, a key oil route choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
00:30French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the hybrid meeting, which is also joined by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer
00:34and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, but not the United States.
00:38The mission is set to include military ships, mine-clearing operations, and radar capabilities.
00:44The leaders spearheading the mission insist it will be strictly defensive.
00:50Chancellor Merz said German participation could only occur after a provisional ceasefire and a mandate within a collective security framework,
00:57preferably from the United Nations,
00:59as well as approval from the German government.
01:02The coalition was pushed to create a plan after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to NATO allies.
01:08The waterways closure is set to trigger even more economic pain if efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire failed.
