U.K. can lead Strait’s opening, Starmer says, as transatlantic ties fray

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K. was willing to play a lead role in getting the Strait of Hormuz open again as he announced a meeting of Foreign Ministers later this week to address this. Acknowledging the pressure on him from U.S. President Donald Trump, Mr. Starmer said he would not join the U.S.’s and Israel’s war on Iran, as he backed stronger relationships between the U.K. and  European countries.

“ …We’re prepared to take a sort of leadership role in that as the United Kingdom in relation to the Straits of Hormuz,” Mr. Starmer said at a press conference on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) morning.

A group of around 35 nations, Mr Starmer said on Wednesday, would assess all diplomatic and political methods available to ensure safe passage of ships and personnel via the Strait of Hormuz and to restore the transport of commodities via that route. Following this, the group’s military planners will be convened to look into how to make the Strait safe and accessible once the fighting has stopped.

The Strait of Hormuz, which has mostly been sealed off by Iran, is a crucial waterway between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply travels. On Tuesday (March 31, 2026), Mr. Trump repeatedly took issue with European allies, specifically the U.K. and France, for not joining the war and told them to “go get your own oil” from the Strait.

“What happens to the Strait… we’re not going to have anything to do with it,” Mr. Trump told reporters on Tuesday as he said the U.S. will likely be done with it’s strikes in two to three weeks.

The U.K. was  “fully committed” to the West’s military alliance, NATO, Mr. Starmer said, when questioned about Mr. Trump’s threats to pull the U.S. out of the alliance. The British Prime Minister nevertheless reiterated the U.K.’s position of staying out of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

“This is not our war. We will not be drawn into the conflict that is not in our national interest,” Mr. Starmer said as he reiterated policies his government was taking to tame domestic energy prices. He reiterated acting in his nation’s interest “whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise”, referring to comments from Mr. Trump.

Starmer Backs Closer UK- Europe relations

The U.K. needed a stronger relationship with the rest of Europe on security and defence, the economy and energy emissions, Mr. Starmer said, though he denied he was choosing closer ties with Europe because his relationship with the U.S. was deteriorating. A stronger U.K.-Europe relationship would strengthen relations U.K.-U.S. relations, according to Mr. Starmer.

Mr. Starmer said it “is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path” the U.K.’s long-term interest required a closer partnership with “ allies in Europe and with the European Union”.