Britain gathers 35 countries for talks on unblocking the Strait of Hormuz. The US will not be there

The United Kingdom is organizing an international meeting with the participation of 35 nations to discuss ways to restore the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas supplies, which Iran effectively blocked after the US and Israeli attacks began.

This was stated by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, The Guardian reports.

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 3. It concerns states that previously signed a joint statement of readiness to facilitate the safe passage of ships through the strait. The United States is not included in this list.

Among the countries that have joined the initiative are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, the UAE, Nigeria, and others.

Starmer said participants should assess “all possible diplomatic and political steps” to restore safe navigation, protect ships and seafarers and restore energy supplies. This will be the first time the countries have come together to discuss a viable plan to reopen the strait.

At the same time, the British Prime Minister warned that a quick restoration of safe shipping is not guaranteed and the operation could be complex. The key issue is not transportation insurance, but the safety of the passage of ships, Starmer stressed.

“The point is that we need all of this together — a united front of military force and diplomacy, a partnership with industry so that it too can mobilize after the cessation of hostilities, and, above all, clear and measured leadership. This is what our country is ready to provide,” the British Prime Minister noted.

Since February 28, Iran has blocked about a thousand ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a sea route that previously carried a fifth of the worldʼs oil and gas supplies.

Only 130 ships have passed through the Strait since the fighting began, compared to the number of ships that used to pass through Hormuz in a day.

• Earlier, the US President Donald Trump said that NATO faces a “very bad future” if the Alliance countries do not help the US unblock the strait. He then made a similar request to the UK, France, China, Japan and South Korea.
• At that time, The Telegraph wrote that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused Trump. France, Germany and South Korea also did not agree. And Reuters wrote that Japan and Australia also rejected the idea.
• On March 30, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that the UAE is ready to join a military operation with the United States to open the Strait of Hormuz by force.
• According to the publication, the Emirates could become the first Gulf country to directly engage in hostilities against Iran. Emirati diplomats are also calling on the United States, European and Asian countries to create a coalition to open the strait.

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