G7 leaders agreed to examine option of escorting ships to navigate freely in Gulf

PARIS, March 11 (Reuters) - ​The ⁠leaders of the ​G7 group of nations - the United States, ​Canada, ‌Japan, Italy, Britain, Germany and ⁠France - agreed to examine ⁠the option of ​providing escort for ships so they can navigate freely in the ​Gulf, ‌said a statement from the G7 Presidency on Wednesday.

The statement was issued after ​French President Emmanuel Macron had convened ‌a call with G7 leaders to discuss the U.S.-Israeli ‌war on Iran and its impact on rising energy prices.

"In this ​regard, a working group has been ‌set up to explore the possibility of escorting ships when the ⁠right ⁠security conditions are in ‌place, and this will also come ​along ​with approaches made to ‌shipping companies, transport companies and insurers," said the statement. (Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)