French armed forces chief held videocall with 35 countries on Hormuz Strait

PARIS, March 26 (Reuters) - France's armed forces chief held a videoconference call with 35 countries, from all continents, over ways to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, France's Defence ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry did not disclose which countries in particular 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.