Defence Minister David McGuinty, pictured in the House of Commons on May 7, wrapped up a defence and trade visit to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar on Thursday.Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press
Defence Minister David McGuinty said Canada could contribute a vessel, demining assistance or satellite imagery if a mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz proceeds.
Mr. McGuinty, who wrapped up a defence and trade visit to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar on Thursday, said a condition of this support would be “a durable cessation” of hostilities in the vital Middle East waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, normally carries about a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil. It has been effectively closed to commercial shipping since late February, when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Britain and France have proposed a multinational defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. More than 40 countries participated in Thursday’s meeting on what could be achieved, such as escorting commercial vessels, clearing mines and rebuilding shipping industry confidence.
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Britain said on Tuesday it would contribute autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS Dragon to the mission.
France has deployed its Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group to Djibouti, a few days’ sail from the strait.
Mr. McGuinty, in an interview, said Canada is still in military-to-military discussions about its contribution.
“This is not an isolated Gulf region matter,” he said of the blocked strait.
“This is a global matter, and we’re seeing the effects of it on in the markets, on commodities, shipping, insurance, fertilizers, food production, fuel prices, inflation – so it’s having a major knock-on effect” around the world.
He said Canada’s help may include a vessel or drawing on military specialists with expertise in mine removal. “We have the divers in both Esquimalt and Halifax who are really good at this,” the minister said.
Ottawa could also utilize its intelligence and space capabilities to provide a contribution, such as satellite imaging, he said.
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After the U.S. and Israeli strikes of late February, Iran hit back by deploying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy to block the Strait of Hormuz, laying mines, attacking merchant vessels and warning all non-approved ships to stay out. A ceasefire brokered through Pakistan took hold in early April but has not reopened the strait.
Iran has continued to assert control over the waterway, the U.S. has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and both sides have exchanged fire since the truce took effect.
During his Mideast trip, Mr. McGuinty talked with counterparts about expanding defence co-operation and trade.
While in the UAE, Mr. McGuinty met with Mohamed bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, the Minister of State for Defence Affairs for the UAE, and His Excellency Mohamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE.
In Qatar, Minister McGuinty met with his counterpart, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs.
With a report from Reuters