UK will not back blockade of Strait of Hormuz, Starmer says

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that, whatever the pressure, Britain ​would not be dragged into the Iran war nor be involved in ‌a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

"We're not supporting the blockade," he told BBC Radio 5 Live, adding that it was vital to get the Strait reopened.

"It is, in my view, vital that ​we get the Strait open and fully open, and that's where we've put ​all of our efforts in the last few weeks and we'll ⁠continue to do so," Starmer said.

Britain had minesweepers in the region, he said, and ​while he could not discuss operational matters, the military capability was "focused from our point ​of view on getting the Strait fully open".

Starmer said Britain was facing pressure to join the war, but he would not do so unless there was a "clear lawful basis" and a "clear thought-through plan".

"My ​decision has been very clearly that whatever the pressure, and there's been some considerable ​pressure, we're not getting dragged into the war," he said.

Starmer also posted on X about the UK and France co-hosting "a summit to advance work on a coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping when the conflict ends."

About 40 ​countries at the beginning of April discussed joint action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stop Iran holding "the global economy hostage," Britain said, after US President Donald Trump ‌said securing the waterway was for others to resolve.

The discussions took ​place after Trump said on Wednesday evening that the Strait could open "naturally" and it was the responsibility of countries that ⁠rely on the waterway to ensure it was open.

The US military said it would begin a blockade ‌of ⁠all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, after weekend talks failed to reach a deal to end the war with Iran.

The US Central Command said that the US blockade, starting at 10am ET on Monday (7pm PKT), ​would be "enforced impartially against ​vessels of all ⁠nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman."

Vessels transiting ​the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports will ​not be ⁠impeded, the US military said.

President Donald Trump said on Sunday US forces would also intercept every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.