European ministers cautious over Strait of Hormuz after G7 briefings

European G7 foreign ministers could not rule out a new escalation in the Strait of Hormuz after summit talks on Tuesday in which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly called the Iranian leadership “lunatics”. Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2026/11/09/oil-edges-lower-as-trump-plays-down-prospect-of-new-us-attacks-on-iran/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2026/11/09/oil-edges-lower-as-trump-plays-down-prospect-of-new-us-attacks-on-iran/">Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman</a> debriefed ministers in Paris after he made an unscheduled stop on Tuesday on his way back from Washington, where he had met <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/gulf/2026/11/10/trump-says-iran-war-to-end-fairly-soon/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/gulf/2026/11/10/trump-says-iran-war-to-end-fairly-soon/">US President Donald Trump</a>.

Qatar is a prominent mediator in the US-Iran war, which Mr Trump has blamed for his Republican party's heavy losses in last week's midterm elections. The stopover in Paris was Sheikh Mohammed's idea, <i>The National</i> understands. He landed in the French capital at 3am and met foreign ministers from Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Saudi Arabia that morning. Tehran and Washington remain unwilling to make difficult concessions on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran, but Qatar and its Arab and European allies hope that a diplomatic solution can be advanced.

Mr Trump indicated on Tuesday after his meeting with Sheikh Mohammed that he was taking back his threats to strike Iran again. Speaking after the G7 ministers' meeting, which lasted less than an hour, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned the “risk of a resumption of strikes and an escalation has not been entirely ruled out”. “However, we support the efforts being led by countries in the region to find a path towards the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a political solution that prevents the resumption of strikes,” he added.

Mr Barrot hosted the meeting with Sheikh Mohammed in the presence of Germany’s Johann Wadephul, the UK’s Ed Miliband, Italy’s Antonio Tajani and Saudi Prince Faisal bin Farhan, all foreign ministers. The US, the UK, Italy, Canada, Japan, France and Germany make up the G7. Speaking earlier in the day, Mr Miliband appeared optimistic about Iran-US perspectives. “I really welcome President Trump’s words overnight that we’re unlikely to see a return to major combat operations,” Mr Miliband said.

“The efforts of Qatar and others to seek a diplomatic way through this conflict are right.” It remains unclear which path Mr Trump will ultimately choose. Pete Hegseth, the US Defence Secretary, is a major proponent of overseas military campaigns. Europeans are not directly involved in mediation talks but Iran's blockade of the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/strait-of-hormuz">Strait of Hormuz</a> has indirectly fuelled <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2026/11/05/france-faces-more-protests-as-macron-tries-to-prevent-civil-unrest/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2026/11/05/france-faces-more-protests-as-macron-tries-to-prevent-civil-unrest/">social unrest</a> on the continent due to high energy prices.

France and the UK have offered to support security in the strait with an international naval mission, but only after the US and Iran have settled on a diplomatic solution. It is also unclear whether Mr Trump will pursue a diplomatic solution with Iran over its nuclear programme, which was among the main reasons given for waging war against the country on February 28. G7 diplomats said that Mr Rubio had used strong language during his meeting with G7 foreign ministers in Paris.

Two told <i>Reuters</i> that he had referred to Iranian leaders as "lunatics." Four said that Mr Rubio told them that the US would keep imposing "devastating" ⁠economic costs on Iran. Mr Rubio appears to believe that the US is under no pressure to conclude a deal with Iran quickly and can push it to make concessions through economic sanctions. The security situation in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2026/11/03/iran-lebanon-hezbollah-israel-us-donald-trump/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2026/11/03/iran-lebanon-hezbollah-israel-us-donald-trump/">southern Lebanon</a>, which is embroiled in hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/hezbollah">Hezbollah</a>, was also high on the agenda during talks in Paris.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was accompanied by undersecretary of state for political affairs Allison Hooker and Dan Holler, counsellor of the State Department. Mr Holler supervised the brokering of a trilateral deal between Lebanon, the US and Israel this summer. It was conveyed during the meeting that the Trump administration understands the current situation remains unstable, <i>The National</i> understands. "I sensed a collective desire to provide responses to the expectations held, in particular, by the Lebanese people and their authorities," Mr Barrot said.

Many, France included, fear a security vacuum after the withdrawal of a nearly five-decade old UN mission at the end of the year after the US vetoed the renewal of its mandate last year. But the US is resisting French pressure to let hundreds of blue helmets stay alongside other Europeans for a transition period until a new solution is found. Time is running out as Unifil's peacekeepers will be leaving from December 31. “It doesn't have to be a military mission.

It could be a civilian mission,” Mr Rubio said on Monday night. He confirmed he had discussed Lebanon with G7 ministers at the start of the two-day meeting on Monday but said the issue remained “sensitive” and “would require the agreement of both the Lebanese and the Israelis in order for it to work”.