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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An Iranian tanker was hit by U.S. forces on Saturday near Iran's key oil export hub, Kharg Island, in the Gulf, the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim reported.
U.S. efforts to squeeze Iran’s economy through an oil blockade and sanctions are becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to withstand, according to three senior Iranian sources. Washington is escalating pressure in hopes of securing concessions in future negotiations.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
The Iranian Army has again struck at U.S. bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in retaliation for U.S. attacks on southern and western parts of Iran late on Tuesday, which reportedly killed 18 people and injured more than 100 others.
The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
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