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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the UK navy will not join President Trump’s blockade of Iran’s ports in the Strait of Hormuz, which is due to begin today.
Starmer said the UK has been working to “keep the Strait open, not shut,” but he added that the UK would not directly support the blockade.
“We’re not supporting the blockade and all of the marshalling diplomatically, politically and capability… that’s all focused, from our point of view, on getting the Strait fully open.”
In an interview with the BBC, he said: “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.
“That’s not in our national interest, because I’m not going to act unless there’s a clear, lawful basis and a clear thought-through plan.”
The UK and France are due to host a summit this week which Starmer said would “advance work on a coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping when the conflict ends.”
In a post on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the blockade would begin today and would target “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports” in the Strait of Hormuz, the vital passage through which 20% of the world’s oil and natural-gas exports pass under normal circumstances.
“The blockade will 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,” the post said.
CENTCOM added that US military forces will not interfere with freedom of navigation for vessels traveling in the Strait, as long as they aren’t visiting Iranian ports.
“Additional information will be provided to commercial mariners through a formal notice prior to the start of the blockade. All mariners are advised to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact U.S. naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches.”
President Trump announced the blockade in a post on Truth Social earlier on Sunday, after the failure of negotiations between Vice President JD Vance and Iranian representatives, in Pakistan.
Trump said he told the US Navy to “seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.”
He also said other nations would be involved in enforcing the blockade, but didn’t name them.
News of the blockade has sent oil prices back above $100 a barrel.
