Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that Britain “will not be drawn into a wider war in the Middle East” even as it was working with the United States, European partners and Gulf allies to develop a “workable collective plan” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy chokepoint disrupted by ongoing regional conflicts.Starmer told a press conference at 10 Downing Street that reopening the Channel was crucial to restoring shipping flows and stabilizing global markets, but stressed that it would be a difficult task and would not involve a NATO mission.
‘Shameful’: US Senator John F. Kennedy slams ‘idiot’ Starmer over UK’s ‘stupid’ Iran moves
Starmer rules out deeper UK military involvement
Starmer said he wanted the war to end as soon as possible and made clear that while Britain would support efforts to restore freedom of navigation, it would not allow itself to be drawn into a wider regional military conflict.“I want to see an end to this war as soon as possible. Because the longer the war goes on, the more dangerous the situation becomes,” Starmer said.He added that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened to “ensure market stability” but warned it would not be a “simple task”.The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, and Tehran later retaliated by attacking Gulf countries where U.S. bases are located and blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
The UK is developing a ‘workable collective plan’
Starmer said the UK was coordinating with its allies to develop a feasible strategy to restore safe passage through the Channel.“We are working with all allies, including our European partners, to develop a workable collective plan to restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and mitigate the economic impact,” he said, according to AFP.Starmer said the UK was working with “all our allies” to develop a “workable collective plan” to resume navigation in the region.Britain is discussing the possibility of using mine-hunting drones it already has in the region with the United States, Europe and Gulf allies, although Starmer suggested London was unlikely to send warships.He also said the job would be difficult and “not easy, to say the least.”
Starmer says Nato is not fulfilling its mission
Starmer also explicitly ruled out a NATO-led operation after US President Donald Trump warned that the alliance faced a “very bad” future if allies did not help secure the strait.Starmer told reporters: “Let me be clear, this is not, and has never been envisaged to be, a NATO mission.”Starmer said any future operations would have to be a “coalition of partners” rather than a formal Nato deployment.This position is consistent with broader European reluctance to view the crisis as a NATO war.Germany insists the conflict is “not a NATO war” and a spokesman for Chancellor Friedrich Merz said NATO’s territorial defense mission does not apply. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also said there would be “no military involvement” from Berlin, but Germany remained open to diplomatic efforts to ensure passage.
Starmer says relationship with Trump remains strong
Starmer said he spoke to President Trump on Sunday and the two discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East.When asked about his relationship with Trump, Starmer said “it’s a good relationship” and said they had “good discussions about the Strait of Hormuz”, PTI reported.“We are strong allies and have been for decades. But I should act in a way that I think is in the best interests of the UK,” he added.A Downing Street spokesman said on Sunday night that the two leaders discussed “the current situation in the Middle East and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to end global shipping disruptions that are driving up global costs,” PTI reported.The spokesman also said Starmer expressed condolences for the American service members killed in the conflict and the two leaders agreed to stay in touch.
Europe fights back as Trump puts pressure on allies
Starmer’s comments came after Trump publicly urged several allies to contribute military assets to reopening the strait.Trump has called on China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom to send warships to escort oil tankers through the waterway, warning that refusal would be “very detrimental to the future of NATO.”However, the reaction of allied capital was cautious.Poland ruled out military involvement and Spain said it would “absolutely not” consider military aid, while Japan and Australia also expressed reluctance and Canberra said it would not send naval ships.Instead, the EU is exploring alternatives. The EU is discussing whether to expand its Aspidus naval mission in the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf or create a “coalition of the willing”, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Karas said.
Strait closure continues to shake oil and shipping industries
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz remains at the heart of the economic fallout from the conflict.Oil prices stayed above $100 a barrel on Monday as the war entered its third week, underscoring the urgency of resuming tanker traffic through key shipping routes.About one-fifth of the world’s oil trade typically passes through the strait.The broader regional security situation remains tense. Dubai International Airport is gradually resuming operations after a drone hit a fuel tank and started a fire, while the United Arab Emirates said the airport was hit by six ballistic missiles and 21 drones from Iran on Monday. The UAE Defense Ministry said the attacks totaled 304 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,627 drones since the war began, killing seven people, including two military personnel.However, Iran insists that the strait is not completely closed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the waterway was closed only to the United States, Israel and their allies, saying: “From our point of view, it is open… It is closed only to our enemies.”
UK sticks to relegation line
Starmer’s stance also reflects his earlier resistance to US pressure for Britain to take a more direct role in the war.Trump criticized Starmer for initially refusing to allow the United States to use British bases to strike Iran and for refusing to send an aircraft carrier to the region.Starmer defended the decision on Monday, saying British troops should only go into action if the action was legal and backed by “appropriately considered planning”.