British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says reopening the strait ‘will not be easy’ ahead of talks with 35 countries.
Published on 1 April 2026
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will negotiate with dozens of countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as the US-Israeli war over Iran effectively closed the vital Gulf waterway.
Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Starmer said Britain’s Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper would host a virtual meeting of 35 countries on Thursday to assess measures to reopen the strait “after the fighting stops”.
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The meeting will “assess all feasible diplomatic and political measures we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of stranded ships and sailors, and resume the movement of vital goods”, the UK Prime Minister said.
“After that meeting, we will also convene our military planners to look at how we can enhance our capabilities and make the strait accessible and secure once the fighting stops,” Starmer said.
Countries around the world have raised serious concerns about Iran effectively closing the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquid natural gas supplies transit, amid US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Iranian attacks on targets in the Middle East.
The shutdown has sent global energy prices soaring and forced countries to announce they would release some of their strategic oil and gas reserves in an effort to ease the crisis.
Starmer said Wednesday that countries that recently signed a statement saying they were ready “to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz” would attend this week’s talks.
Apart from Britain, the countries that have signed it include France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Netherlands.
“I’m going to have to coordinate with people on this. It’s not going to be easy (reopening),” Starmer said.
Britain and other European countries have faced condemnation from US President Donald Trump, who has accused them of both failing to act to reopen the strait and not providing enough assistance to Washington in its war efforts.
On Tuesday, Trump wrote on his Truth social platform that “all those countries that, like the United Kingdom, can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz” should either buy from the US or “must up a little belated courage, go to the Strait, and just take it”.
“You have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the United States will no longer be there to help you, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran is, essentially, destroyed. The hard part is done. Get your own oil!” Trump said.
