Donald Trump, President of the United States, and Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, have discussed the urgent need to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing disruptions to global shipping caused by an Iranian blockade.
According to a statement from 10 Downing Street, the leaders held a conversation on Sunday focusing on the escalating crisis in the Middle East and its impact on international trade.
“The leaders discussed the ongoing situation in the Middle East and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to end the disruption to global shipping, which is driving up costs worldwide,” a Downing Street spokeswoman said.
The discussion followed an appeal by President Trump on Saturday urging several countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom to deploy naval forces to assist the United States in securing the waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime routes for oil shipments, and any disruption to traffic through the channel can significantly affect global energy markets.
Iran has effectively blocked the waterway in retaliation for joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel earlier in the conflict.
During the conversation, Prime Minister Starmer also expressed condolences for American military personnel who have been killed during the ongoing conflict.
The situation in the region remains volatile as tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel continue to escalate, raising concerns about wider economic and security consequences for the international community.
