G7 foreign ministers demand an end to attacks on civilians in Iran war

VAUX-DE-CERNAY, France - The foreign ministers of the G7 group of nations called on Friday for an immediate stop to attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Iran war.

In a joint statement agreed on the second day of a G7 meeting in France - this year's host country - the ministers said they had underscored the importance of minimising the impact of the conflict on regional partners, civilian populations and critical infrastructure.

"We focused on the value of diverse partnerships, coordination, and supporting initiatives, including to mitigate global economic shocks such as disruptions to economic, energy, fertilizer and commercial supply chains, which have direct impacts on our citizens," they said in the statement seen by Reuters.

The ministers also reiterated the need to restore safe and toll-free freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The G7 members are the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, along with the European Union.

-Reporting by Andrew Gray and John Irish; Writing by Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta/Reuters