British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump discussed the Strait of Hormuz crisis in a phone call late Sunday.
“They agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was essential to ensure stability in the global energy market,” Downing Street said in a statement, adding that they would “speak again soon.”
The call came after Trump leveled sharp criticism at the British Prime Minister, and other European allies, for their reluctance to assist the United States militarily in its war with Iran.
Britain is one of 22 countries that have expressed a willingness to contribute to efforts to ensure safe navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway that’s been effectively closed since the war with Iran broke out.
On Sunday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he was “absolutely convinced” that the alliance will be able to reopen the strait. Rutte argued that the secret nature of the military operation required NATO countries to take time to calibrate their response.
