Portugal Joins 30-Nation Coalition to Secure Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran Tensions

Portugal joined a growing international coalition Monday to address disruptions to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, following Iran’s closure of the vital waterway in response to joint military actions by the United States and Israel on Iranian soil that began February 28th.

The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed its participation, bringing the total number of nations committed to securing passage through the strait to 30, encompassing countries from Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Asia. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, neighboring Iran, are as well part of the coalition.

The initiative was launched last Thursday by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan, who jointly issued a statement condemning Iran’s attacks on “unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf” and the “de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.”

“We express our willingness to contribute to the necessary efforts to ensure the security of passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations engaging in preparatory planning,” the joint statement read.

Signatory nations are calling for adherence to the principle of freedom of navigation, “a fundamental principle of international law,” and are urging Iran to cease immediately “threats, mine laying, attacks by drones and missiles, and other attempts to impede navigation for commercial purposes.”

The coalition’s statement further asserts that interference with international navigation and disruption of global energy supply chains “constitute a threat to international peace and security,” and calls for an “immediate and complete moratorium on attacks against civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities.”

The declaration followed confirmation hours earlier that Qatar’s national energy company had sustained significant damage to the Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas complex following attacks attributed to Iran. Prior to this, Israel had targeted the Iranian South Pars gas field, as escalating conflict triggered a surge in fuel prices.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a five-day truce with Iran on Monday, impacting energy costs throughout the day. By late afternoon, oil prices had fallen by more than 10 percent, to $95, while gas in Europe decreased by over 5 percent, to €56/MWh.

Portugal’s decision to support the U.S.-led effort comes despite a stated policy of non-involvement in the conflict, as articulated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel on March 16th in Brussels. Rangel affirmed that Portugal “is not involved, nor will it be” in the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Still, the country is coordinating with the European Union to protect vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf, according to a statement released by the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 2nd.

The Lajes airbase on Portugal’s Azores Islands is being utilized by the United States during the campaign against Iran, a decision defended by Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, putting Portugal at odds with Spain.

Six NATO members – Canada, the Czech Republic, Albania, North Macedonia, Lithuania, and Latvia – have publicly backed the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, according to reports from March 18th.