French armed forces chief held video call with 35 countries on Hormuz strait

France's armed forces chief, General Fabien Mandon, held a video conference call with 35 countries on ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, France's defence ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry did not disclose which countries had joined the call.

"This initiative, independent of the ongoing military operations in the region, is strictly defensive in nature. Its purpose is to organize the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities have ceased," it said in a statement.