UK to host global talks on reopening Hormuz shipping route – Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will host a multi-nation meeting involving about 35 countries to address the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Starmer said the meeting, to be led by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, will focus on restoring safe navigation in the strategic waterway, which has been severely affected by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

According to him, the talks will explore diplomatic and political measures to guarantee the safety of stranded ships and seafarers, as well as resume the movement of critical global commodities. He added that military planners would also be engaged after the meeting to assess how to secure the route once hostilities ease.

Countries expected at the meeting include Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands, among others that have expressed readiness to support efforts to ensure safe passage through the strait.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor, has been largely restricted since the outbreak of war on February 28 following US-Israeli strikes, triggering sharp increases in global oil and gas prices. In normal times, the route handles about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Starmer cautioned that reopening the waterway would be challenging, noting that the process would require coordinated international efforts.

He also reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to NATO, describing it as the most effective military alliance in history, amid renewed criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has questioned the relevance of the bloc.