British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made clear Wednesday that the West’s response to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz will be heavy on diplomacy — and light on hard power — a stance already frustrating President Trump as the US looks for partners to help secure the global shipping lane.
“This is not our war. We will not be drawn into the conflict,” Starmer said bluntly, ruling out any immediate military role for Britain even as tensions threaten global energy supplies.
Instead, the UK is rallying allies around a talk-first strategy.
Starmer announced a virtual summit to unite efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, bringing together 35 countries for an effort focused on “diplomatic and political measures” to reopen the strait — with meetings planned in the coming days to explore options.
Only after the fighting stops, he said, would military planners even begin discussing how to ensure ship security through the strait.
“We will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures… and then convene our military planners,” Starmer said — adding a warning: “This will not be easy.”
It comes after Trump raged against both Britain and France for their snubs of US efforts in the war over a series of Truth Social posts Tuesday night, blasting London for failing to get involved in the decapitation of Iran and Paris for refusing to let planes en route to Israel with military supplies “fly over French territory.”
“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz … I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT,” he said. “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.”
“Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!” he added.
The next morning, he told Reuters in an interview that he was “absolutely without question” considering withdrawing the US from NATO over his frustration with the alliance.
Congress in 2023 passed a law requiring the president to receive approval from a two-third Senate super-majority to do so.
France, meanwhile, has also been hosting talks with counterparts interesting in “restoring of freedom of navigation in the Strait,” bringing together defense chiefs from 35 countries for a teleconference on March 26, according to a statement from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans.
“This initiative, decoupled from ongoing military operations in the region, is strictly defensive in nature,” the ministry said. “Its purpose is to organize the resumption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after the cessation of hostilities.”
The ministry said the reopening can only happen “once the intensity of hostilities has sufficiently decreased” — but Paris has so far refused to publicly define the conditions necessary for such actions to begin.
It’s unclear if a cease-fire would be enough for participating countries to begin pitching in.
Trump on Wednesday said Tehran had asked the US for a cease-fire, but said that would not be acceptable until the strait is reopened.
“Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!” he said.
“We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!”
The announcement came a day after Pakistan and China submitted a five-point proposal for a cease-fire that would see peace starts beginning immediately, a pledge to stick to the “primacy of the United Nations Charter,” an “immediate cessation of hostilities” and the security of shipping lanes and “non-military targets.”
