Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned Iranian 'recklessness' for disrupting global economic security during talks aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking after chairing a video call with representatives from over 40 countries, she accused Tehran of hurting mortgage rates, petrol prices, and the cost of living in the UK and worldwide.
Cooper highlighted that Iran has launched over 25 attacks on vessels in the strait, leaving some 20,000 seafarers trapped on about 2,000 ships. She warned that the blockade could push nine million people into food insecurity, according to World Bank predictions, while oil and food prices soar.
The Foreign Secretary outlined diplomatic and economic measures, including collective pressures, reassurance for industry and insurers, and action to guarantee the safety of trapped ships. A military planning meeting next Tuesday, hosted by Britain's Permanent Joint Headquarters, will consider how to marshal defensive capabilities, including clearing possible mines laid by Tehran.
US President Donald Trump insisted Washington does not need the oil and urged other nations to 'grab it and cherish it'. However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer admitted unblocking the strait will 'not be easy', and French President Emmanuel Macron described reopening it by force as 'unrealistic'.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch told reporters that Trump must not abandon the situation, stating, 'If you break it, you own it'. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he is not angry with Trump but finds it 'difficult listening to the press conferences sometimes' to discern his motives.
