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This would need to be a multinational force to have the kind of enduring presence [in the Strait]. The interesting bit is the use here of various types of uncrewed vessels, drones, for a combination of sensing, for situational awareness - seeing what is out there, and potentially clearing mines...A lot of this technology is untested though. The Royal Navy is having to look at different ways of achieving what it tries to do because it is shrinking in terms of ships and people."

For Seskuria, the non-inclusion of defense equipment matters because it takes away from a central focus of the Victory Day celebrations, which have typically provided “powerful optics” and reinforced “Russia’s image as the heir to Soviet victory in World War II.” She stressed that “removing this important element weakens the propaganda value of the event, particularly for domestic audiences, as it reduces one of the most visible symbols of Russian power and military prestige.”

Iran is important [to China], it's a key component of the Belt and Road, Iran is a strategic partner in the Gulf, and the opening of the Gulf is quite important not only for Chinese national energy security but also for other components such as helium that China uses for microchip production. Having said that, the United States is also in dire need to limit this kind of standoff. It costs a lot of money to keep the war machine in that region. Therefore, if Trump and Xi find a solution to open Hormuz in a way that lets Iran find also a kind of flexible engagement, letting Chinese and American cargo ships move in the Gulf, that can show that Trump made a good deal and that Xi Jinping is portraying China as a stabilising factor in the world."