France Asks India to Help Calm Hormuz Strait

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot met with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts this week. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Barrot asked India to play a role in easing tensions around the Hormuz Strait. The strait is a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. About one-fifth of the world's oil passes through it. Any conflict there can raise global oil prices and disrupt trade. Barrot also welcomed Pakistan's efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States. He did not give further details on those talks.