G7 leaders consider escorting ships to ensure navigation in Persian Gulf

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) agreed on Wednesday to examine the option of escorting commercial ships to ensure freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf, according to a statement from the G7 presidency reported by Reuters.

The statement followed a call convened by Emmanuel Macron, president of France, with leaders of the G7 nations — the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, United Kingdom and Germany — to discuss the US-Israeli war on Iran and its impact on rising energy prices.

A working group has been set up to explore escorting ships “when the right security conditions are in place,” the statement said. "The effort would also involve consultations with shipping companies, transport firms and insurers."