Starmer: UK Will Defend Allies but Avoid Wider War in Middle East

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday the United Kingdom is working with international partners on a “viable” collective plan to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz following disruptions linked to the ongoing war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, according to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Speaking during a press conference at Downing Street in London, Starmer said the British government is coordinating with European partners, Gulf countries, and the United States to develop an approach aimed at reopening the key maritime route, which has been effectively closed during the conflict.

“We're working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to bring together a viable collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and ease the economic impacts,” Starmer told reporters, according to AFP.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime corridor for global oil shipments, and restrictions affecting the passage during the war have disrupted shipping and contributed to concerns in international energy markets.

Starmer said the proposed effort would involve cooperation among international partners but would not take the form of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission.

“Let me be clear, that won't be and it's never been envisioned to be a NATO mission,” Starmer said, according to AFP.

Instead, he said the plan would involve coordination among countries with a direct interest in maintaining the security of maritime transport routes and ensuring the continued movement of energy supplies.

“That'll have to be an alliance of partners, which is why we're working with partners, both in Europe, in the Gulf, and with the US,” Starmer said, according to AFP.

Starmer added that he had discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. President Donald Trump as governments examine possible responses to the disruption affecting global shipping routes.

The British leader also addressed the United Kingdom’s position regarding the broader regional conflict, saying the government is taking measures to protect its national interests while avoiding deeper involvement in the war.

“We're taking the necessary action to defend ourselves and our allies, we will not be drawn into the wider war,” Starmer said, according to AFP.

Trump also commented on the situation, saying allied countries should contribute to efforts aimed at restoring maritime security in the strategic waterway.

“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump said, according to AFP.

The statements come as international governments assess the economic and security implications of disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.

Starmer reiterated that the United Kingdom and its partners are working to establish what he described as a credible and coordinated plan to restore navigation through the passage.