France along with a number of other countries is working on a joint mission to ensure safe passage for tankers that will cross the Strait of Hormuz, Iran.
The effort comes amid an escalation in the Middle East, according to a report in the Financial Times, citing a French diplomat who did not want to be named.
"We are working with a number of partners to ensure safe passage for tankers through the Strait of Hormuz," the diplomat was quoted as saying by the newspaper, as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, Monday, March 16.
However, he did not reveal who the partners were.
The source said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will discuss the initiative with their counterparts in the European Union on Monday.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain, and other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
On Thursday, French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said the French government did not plan to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz amid the escalation in the region.
On February 28, the US and Israel launched an attack on a number of targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and casualties among civilians.
Iran responded by attacking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East as a form of self-defense.
Escalation of tensions around Iran's territory has led to a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is the main route for the shipment of oil and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf countries to global markets.
The blockade has also affected oil export and production levels in the region.
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