Since the start of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has consistently refused to drag his country into the conflict, saying it is “not our war” and that it is against Britain’s national interest to be involved. In the early days of the war, Prime Minister Starmer also rejected US requests to use British military bases to attack Iran. This later changed and the UK has since allowed the US to use specific military bases for “defensive” strikes against Iran, although Starmer insists the UK is not “at war”.
35 countries will negotiate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
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While the UK has stayed out of the conflict, Britain is leading international efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key sea junction controlled by Iran.
Read also | British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushes for EU ties after Trump’s NATO warning
On Thursday, Britain will host talks aimed at forming a coalition of countries to explore ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will chair a virtual meeting of some 35 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz
Iran effectively closed the strait, which carries about a fifth of the world’s total oil consumption, in response to the US-Israeli strikes, sending world oil and gas prices soaring.
In the past few weeks, Iran has further tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, allowing transit only to vessels of “friendly nations”, including India, while making it clear that it is closed to enemy ships.
Trump’s stance on opening the Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly made the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz a prerequisite for a truce with Iran. After others, including NATO allies, rejected his calls to join efforts to reopen the strait, Trump said securing the vital waterway was a problem for other nations to solve.
Read also | Trump considers withdrawing US from NATO, calls alliance ‘paper tiger’
During an address to the nation on Wednesday, Trump said the strait can open “naturally” and it’s the responsibility of countries that rely on the waterway to keep it open.
What the UK wants to achieve
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that the meeting would consider “all viable diplomatic and political arrangements” to restore freedom of navigation in the area after a ceasefire was reached.
According to Reuters, the UK-led talks on Thursday will be the group’s first formal meeting ahead of more detailed discussions with military planners in the coming weeks, officials said.
One European official told Reuters that the first phase of any plan to reopen the strait is expected to be to ensure the waterway is mine-free, followed by a second phase to protect tankers crossing the area.
Starmer said reopening the waterway “will not be easy” and will require a “united front of military power and diplomatic activity” along with working with the shipping industry.
Trump said on Wednesday that other countries that use the Strait of Hormuz should “must some belated courage” and “just go for it.”
“Just take it, protect it, use it for yourself,” he said.
Key things
- The UK is leading the diplomatic effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing non-involvement in military conflict.
- The reopening plan includes making the waterway mine-free and protecting tankers.
- Global oil prices are affected by Iran’s control over the strait, which is crucial for the transportation of oil.
