NATO and Gulf States Coordinate Security for Strait of Hormuz

NATO foreign ministers and officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council held a special session during a summit in Ankara on July 7-8 to address Iranian attacks on GCC states and maritime security risks. For the first time, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization included the Strait of Hormuz in its final declaration, stating that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons and must respect freedom of navigation in the strait.

To ensure safe passage, the United Kingdom and France proposed the creation of a multinational maritime coalition, though the prospect remains unlikely due to Iranian opposition. Parallel to these discussions, Saudi Arabia and Oman held talks in Muscat regarding maritime security.

NATO also expanded its ties with Qatar, agreeing to a new partnership program and the potential establishment of a NATO-sponsored regional center for peace support operations. These developments mark a transition in NATO's Gulf strategy toward functional security cooperation, prioritizing capacity-building and intelligence-sharing while maintaining the existing US-led security framework.