Six major international powers, including Britain, France, Germany and Japan, say they are ready “to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz”, AFP reports.

“We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning” the grouping — which also includes Italy and the Netherlands — said in a joint statement, as they condemned “in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf”.

“We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping,” the statement added.