Bahrain said Thursday (July 18th) it would host a conference on "maritime and air navigation security" amid a series of incidents in the Gulf which have sparked fears of a conflict with Iran, AFP reported.
The meeting will aim to bolster regional "security and stability" and "find ways to deter the Iranian threat and ensure freedom of navigation in this strategic region", the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet, said it would co-host the conference with the US and Poland, which in February hosted the International Conference in Support of Security and Peace in the Middle East.
More than 60 countries are expected to participate in the event.
The initiative seeks to strengthen international co-operation and "raise awareness of the dangers that threaten the region in light of Iran's practices which pose a great threat to maritime and air navigation", the BNA said.
Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the meeting will provide an opportunity for consultation and exchange of visions among the participants.
Tensions in the Gulf have spiked in recent months, with the US blaming Iran for a series of tanker attacks in and near the Strait of Hormuz, charges Iran denies.
The Strait of Hormuz is the conduit for nearly a third of the world's crude oil.
Bahrain's announcement came the same day as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had detained a "foreign tanker" and its crew for allegedly smuggling fuel in the Gulf.
Also Thursday, US Central Command chief Kenneth McKenzie pledged to work "aggressively" to ensure maritime safety in strategic Gulf waters.
