'We are not supporting the blockade' — UK rejects US Hormuz move
While speaking to the BBC radio, Keir Starmer said Britain will not join the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing “We are not supporting the blockade” and that the UK “is not getting dragged in” to the US-Israel war on Iran. He emphasized the priority is reopening the strait, noting it is “vital that we get the strait open and fully open,” as roughly 20% of global oil flows pass through the key waterway.
The move has drawn wider criticism from US allies and global powers, with France, Spain, and Turkiye opposing the blockade and calling for renewed diplomacy, while China warned against escalation and urged both sides to maintain stability.
The US military has said it will enforce a blockade on Iranian ports while allowing transit through the strait for non-Iranian destinations, though questions remain over how it would be implemented.