UK to Refrain from Supporting US Blockade of Strait of Hormuz

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated that the United Kingdom will not participate in a proposed blockade of the Strait of Hormuz announced by US President Donald Trump. This decision was made public during an interview with BBC radio on Monday.

The UK’s stance is shared by other US allies, including France and Spain. French President Emmanuel Macron plans to hold a conference with the UK aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait. Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles described the planned naval blockade as “making no sense”.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also expressed concerns about the proposed blockade, stating that negotiations with Iran should be conducted and the strait opened as soon as possible. China has also criticized the plan, with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman urging Iran and the US to avoid reigniting the war.

The Strait of Hormuz is an important waterway that connects the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, accounting for approximately 20% of global oil supplies during peacetime. The strait’s traffic has been restricted since the start of the conflict between Iran and Israel.

US forces have announced plans to block all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting from 14:00 GMT on a specific date. However, it is unclear how this blockade will be enforced.

Source: Al Jazeera