British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Wednesday that significant challenges lie ahead in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, despite the recent U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement. The Prime Minister made these comments while visiting the Gulf region for discussions with area leaders.
During his trip, which had been scheduled prior to the ceasefire announcement, Starmer addressed military personnel at a Saudi Arabian base about the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
“We now … have a ceasefire, but there’s a lot of work to do, as you will appreciate, a lot of work to make sure that that ceasefire becomes permanent and brings about the peace that we all want to see,” Starmer told the assembled troops.
“But also a lot of work to do in relation to the Strait of Hormuz, which has an impact everywhere across the world,” he added.
The British leader has faced sharp criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump for not backing American and Israeli military actions against Iran. In response, Starmer has organized international conferences focused on coordinating allied efforts to restore access to the vital shipping corridor that serves as a lifeline for global energy markets.
“It’s our job to make sure that the Strait is open, that we’re able to get the energy that the world needs out and stabilise the prices back in the United Kingdom,” Starmer explained to journalists.
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper held discussions Tuesday with her American counterpart, Marco Rubio, regarding diplomatic strategies to secure the waterway’s reopening. Their conversation included details about a UK-organized summit last week that brought together more than 40 nations to address the shipping crisis.
