Britain will explore ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by hosting talks on Thursday (2 April) with 35 countries after President Donald Trump said securing the vital waterway was a problem for other nations to resolve.
British foreign minister Yvette Cooper will chair the virtual meeting with nations including France, Germany, Italy, Canada and the United Arab Emirates around midday in London to explore ways to restore freedom of navigation in the area. The United States is not due to attend.
The meeting is taking place after Trump said in an address to his nation 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.
Trump also said that other countries that use the Strait of Hormuz should "build up some delayed courage" and "just grab it".
"Just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves," he said.
European countries initially refused Trump's demand to send their navies to the area because of fears about being dragged into the conflict.
But concerns about the impact of the rising cost of energy on the global economy have prompted them to try to form a coalition to explore ways to reopen the waterway once a ceasefire is agreed, according to European officials.
One European official said it was expected that any first phase of any plan for reopening the Strait would be on ensuring the waterway was free of mines, followed by a second phase to protect tankers crossing the area.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday the meeting would assess "all viable diplomatic and political measures" to restore the freedom of navigation in the area after a ceasefire has been reached.
Starmer said reopening the waterway would "not be easy" and would require "a united front of military strength and diplomatic activity" alongside working with the shipping industry.
The talks will be the first formal meeting of the group before more detailed discussions involving military planners over the coming weeks, the officials said.
Iran has effectively shut down the Strait, which carries about a fifth of the world's total oil consumption, in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes which began in late February. Reopening the waterway has become a priority for governments around the world as energy prices soar.
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President Donald Trump called Iran’s response to a US war proposal “totally unacceptable” after Tehran sent its reply through mediator Pakistan, according to IRNA. Qatar’s al-Thani also warned Iran against using the Strait of Hormuz as “a pressure tool”.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides signalled they did not want escalation. The clashes come as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a proposed deal to end the war while leaving key disputes, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain far from a genuine ceasefire, as military posturing, sanctions and uncertainty over diplomacy continue to fuel fears of a broader regional confrontation.
Iran confirmed on Friday its Armed Forces responded to, what Tehran is calling, the U.S. Navy’s violation of the ceasefire. It said Iranian ships and civilian areas were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday evening.
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