Starmer Says UK Won't Join US' Hormuz Blockade

Britain's leader is drawing a clear line on a key flashpoint in the Iran conflict. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday the UK will not support President Trump's naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, reports the New York Times, insisting his priority is keeping the vital oil corridor "open, not shut." In a BBC radio interview, Starmer argued Iran's actions have made the waterway too risky for tankers, pushing up energy prices in Britain—but repeatedly sidestepped efforts to pin broader blame on Trump for starting the war, saying, "I mean, I'm not, look, I'm not going to get involved in that."

The stance spotlights Starmer's balancing act: resisting US pressure to join the American- and Israeli-led war while trying not to rupture what he still calls a "special relationship" with Washington. His refusal to be pulled into another Middle East conflict appears to be playing well at home, nudging up his weak poll numbers. Across Europe, leaders are rejecting Trump's more aggressive moves even as they seek to keep the strait open. "Since this war started, nothing makes sense," Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said. "This is another episode in the downward spiral the world has been dragged into." France's Emmanuel Macron emphasized getting the Strait open "as quickly as possible," and outlined a "strictly defensive" mission once conditions allow, coordinated with Britain and other partners.