British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the United Kingdom will not participate in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
"We’re not supporting the blockade," Starmer told BBC Radio 5 Live, and he added that it was vital to get the Strait reopened.
The remarks coincided with a U.S. announcement that American forces would begin enforcing a restriction on traffic tied to Iran. The Pentagon said the measure would take effect at 10 a.m. Eastern on Monday and would apply to vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, an action taken after an order from U.S. President Donald Trump following failed weekend negotiations with Iran.
The Pentagon noted that ships transiting the strait that are not destined for or departing from Iranian ports would be permitted to continue their passage.
The heightened measures and diplomatic efforts followed 21 hours of talks held in Pakistan between U.S. and Iranian delegations that did not produce an agreement to formalize a recent two-week pause in hostilities. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American side in those discussions, said Iran had refused to accept U.S. demands to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon.
Starmer also said Britain had minesweepers in the region. He declined to discuss operational details, but stated that the military capability on station was focused on ensuring the Strait was fully open.
This sequence of statements and military moves highlights a divergence between the announced U.S. approach to restricting vessels tied to Iranian ports and the British government’s public decision not to join a blockade, while underscoring ongoing diplomatic friction following extended negotiations in Pakistan.