UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that Britain will host a meeting of around 35 countries this week to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The vital waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea has been effectively blocked by Iran during the ongoing war. This has badly disrupted global oil and gas supplies.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will chair the talks, expected on Thursday. Leaders from Europe, Gulf states and other partners will join. The main goals are to find diplomatic and political ways to restore safe navigation, protect trapped ships and crews, and restart the flow of essential commodities.
Starmer said the meeting will assess all possible measures to guarantee freedom of navigation. After the talks, military planners will also discuss how to make the strait safe once fighting stops. He warned that reopening it “will not be easy”.
The Strait of Hormuz carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil. Its closure has pushed up global energy prices and raised fears of higher fuel costs for families.
Starmer stressed that Britain will not join the wider war, calling it “not our war”. However, he said reopening the strait is in the UK’s national interest to ease pressure on living costs.
Many countries have already signed a joint statement urging safe passage. Experts say quick diplomatic progress is needed to avoid longer economic damage worldwide.
