DUBAI,— The United Arab Emirates has told the United States and other Western allies it is ready to join a multinational maritime taskforce aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported the development on Friday, citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

The report said the UAE is seeking to persuade dozens of countries to form a Hormuz Security Force to protect the strait from Iranian attacks and escort commercial shipping.

The UAE has been targeted by more Iranian attacks than any other country in the region, including Israel, the newspaper said.

Several U.S. allies have said they do not currently plan to deploy naval forces to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting a request by President Donald Trump for military assistance to keep the route open.

France said on Thursday it had held discussions with about 35 countries to seek partners and proposals for a mission to reopen the strait, but only after the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran ends.

Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that carries around 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas, pushing energy prices higher and raising fears of global inflation.

The UAE is also working with Bahrain on a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council to give any future taskforce formal authority, although Russia and China could oppose the move, the report said.

Members of the Security Council have started negotiations on measures to protect commercial shipping in and around the strait, including a Bahraini proposal allowing the use of all necessary means, Reuters reported earlier this week.

A senior Emirati official said last week the UAE may join a U.S.-led effort to safeguard shipping after Iran nearly shut the waterway to vessels.

The strait is vital to the UAE economy, oil exports and trade. Iran has attacked an Emirati port used for oil shipments.

(With files from Reuters)

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