Italy says it could send two minesweepers as part of an international mission to the Strait of Hormuz, but only if a lasting ceasefire is secured.

Speaking to parliament, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said a “real, credible and stable truce or, even better, a definitive peace” would have to be in place for any deployment.

It would take weeks for minesweepers to reach the region, and Italy is “pre-positioning” them initially to the eastern Mediterranean and then the Red Sea, he added.

“Solely as a precaution … we are arranging for two minehunter units to be positioned relatively closer to the strait,” Crosetto said.

The US has previously accused Iran of laying mines in Hormuz as the crucial waterway remains nearly closed, and negotiations between the US and Iran to reach a peace deal stall.