British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has officially stated that the United Kingdom will not support or be involved in the US-led maritime blockade of Iranian ports. Starmer stressed Britain’s position not to be “dragged” into the conflict, instead choosing to focus on diplomatic efforts to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open to global trade.
In a move that is different from Washington, France and the UK announced plans to organize an international conference to discuss a “peaceful multinational” mission. President Emmanuel Macron described the mission as a defensive measure separate from the warring parties. It aims to restore freedom of navigation in the region without favoring any military power.
The European stance contradicts President Donald Trump’s claim that several other countries are working with the US to cripple Iran’s oil exports. Germany also supported the UK’s stance by insisting that it will not be involved in any military mission, describing Trump’s statements about international assistance as something that lacks solid evidence.
Starmer expressed concern about the impact of the war on the UK domestic economy, particularly the sharp rise in energy bills. However, he refused to blame Trump directly. He stressed that Iran’s disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz was the main cause of the economic stress felt by British consumers at the moment.
The breakdown of diplomatic talks in Pakistan over the weekend has further exacerbated the situation, forcing the US to act unilaterally with a maritime blockade that began on Monday. While Israel fully supports the move, the lack of support from key European allies such as the UK, France and Germany shows a major rift in the Western alliance on how to deal with the Iran crisis.
