The Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel announced that “the leadership of the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) was transferred from the U.S. to the United Kingdom”. U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper stated that “we’ve described it as a U.S.-led effort, the IMSC, but clearly, we have many partners”. The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, maintained that “while the IMSC is separate from our maximum pressure campaign, it’s important that the international community ensure the safe – to safeguard global commerce and freedom of navigation throughout the region, which is where so much of the world’s oil supply flows through”.