Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated on Monday that the U.K. is “not in support of” the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, emphasizing that the nation will not be “entangled” in the Iran conflict.
This statement came as President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and the U.K. will co-host a conference in the days ahead to promote freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
While Macron did not outright exclude France’s participation in the U.S. blockade, he mentioned that the upcoming conference aims to establish a “peaceful multinational” and “strictly defensive” mission, “divorced from the combatants.”
Starmer remarked on BBC’s Radio 5 Live on Monday: “We are not endorsing the blockade, and all efforts – diplomatically, politically, and [in terms of] capability – we possess mine-sweeping capability; I won’t delve into operational details, but we do have that capability – are directed, from our standpoint, towards ensuring the Strait remains fully accessible.”
“What we have been undertaking in recent weeks – and this was part of my discussions with the Gulf states last week – is uniting nations to keep the strait open, not closed.”
Starmer’s remarks followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s indication that other nations would assist the U.S. in enforcing its blockade, set to commence at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, impacting vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports.
This initiative was revealed after negotiations between Washington and Tehran over the weekend did not culminate in an agreement to resolve the Middle East crisis.
During a press encounter on Sunday, Trump mentioned: “At 10 tomorrow, we have a blockade going into effect,” adding that “other nations are collaborating to prevent Iran from selling oil.”
However, he did not specify which other countries would be cooperating, and CNBC has sought additional comments and clarifications from officials in Europe and the Middle East regarding their intentions to support the U.S.
Both European and Gulf nations have previously expressed hesitance to engage in the conflict, cautious of escalating a situation they consider a “war of choice” by Washington, rather than one of necessity.
Germany has also indicated it is not joining the blockade, with government insiders informing CNBC on Monday that Trump’s remarks were “a vague statement lacking any new facts.”
Berlin has consistently ruled out military engagement in the Iran war and reiterated this stance on Monday, asserting: “In recent days, the federal government has addressed several times the potential for participation and the conditions for it. These statements remain unchanged.”
Related initiatives
France’s Macron posted on X, stating that the country would organize a conference “with the United Kingdom and those nations willing to join us” for a “peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait.”
He added: “This strictly defensive mission, which will be apart from the combatants, is intended to be deployed as soon as conditions permit.”
Starmer mentioned that U.K. citizens are being impacted by the Iran war through rising energy prices and that he does not want them “shouldering the burden” for the conflict. When asked if he held Trump personally accountable for the repercussions on U.K. energy bills, Starmer stated that it is Iran that is imposing restrictions on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We, the United Kingdom, have been very clear that we are not going to be ensnared in this war, and we aren’t, but equally, we have engaged in defensive measures,” the Prime Minister noted.
