As Hormuz traffic stalls, U.S. pitches new coalition to get ships moving again

Just weeks after President Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz “COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS” only to see ship traffic stall, the administration is now asking other countries to join a new international coalition that would enable ships to navigate the waterway.

- Alexander Ward & Robbie Gramer

The effort, called the “Maritime Freedom Construct,” was spelled out in an internal State Department cable sent to U.S. embassies on Tuesday that called on U.S. diplomats to press foreign governments into signing up. The U.S.-led coalition would share information, coordinate diplomatically and enforce sanctions, according to the cable.

It is the latest example of the Trump administration trying to restart the flow of commercial traffic through the strait, despite Iran’s efforts to lay mines and attack tankers that transit the chokepoint without Tehran's approval.

The strait’s future has become a key sticking point in stalled peace talks between the U.S. and Iran, leaving the vital chokepoint in limbo as anxiety climbs over spiking global energy prices. While Iran is targeting vessels that don’t pay transit fees to leave the strait, the U.S. Navy has imposed a sweeping blockade on all ships going to or coming from Iranian ports.