{"id":123516,"date":"2026-04-02T20:20:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T15:20:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?p=123516"},"modified":"2026-04-02T20:20:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T15:20:32","slug":"uk-to-host-35-state-moot-on-reopening-of-hormuz-strait","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/","title":{"rendered":"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LONDON(National Times)- Britain will this week hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters during a Downing Street press conference, without specifying the day of the talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting will \u201cassess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities\u201d, Starmer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFollowing that meeting, we will also convene our military planners to look at how we can marshal our capabilities and make the strait accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Starmer says Britain must focus on closer ties with Europe to undo some \u2018deep damage\u2019 done by Brexit<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The discussions will include countries which recently signed a statement saying they were ready \u201cto contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz\u201d, the prime minister added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada and the UAE are among the countries which will attend the talks, according to a government statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran has virtually closed the vital strait in response to the US-Israeli war on Iran<\/a>, causing global oil and gas prices to soar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do have to level with people on this. This (reopening) will not be easy,\u201d Starmer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virtual meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper would host a virtual meeting of the group on Thursday to assess diplomatic and political measures to reopen the Strait \u201cafter the fighting has stopped\u201d, Starmer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A British official said it was expected that any first phase would focus on mine-hunting, followed by a second phase to protect tankers crossing the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his media talk, the UK PM also backed Nato following renewed criticism of the eight-decade-old alliance by US President Donald Trump. \u201cNato is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen, and it has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to Nato,\u201d the premier said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump told Britain\u2019s Telegraph<\/em><\/a> newspaper in an article published on Wednesday that Nato was a \u201cpaper tiger\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked whether he would reconsider US membership, he replied: \u201cOh yes, I would say (it\u2019s) beyond reconsideration,\u201d the paper reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month, Trump told the Financial Times<\/em> that it would be \u201cvery bad for the future of Nato\u201d if members fail to help reopen the vital waterway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, he said that countries which have not joined the war, but are struggling with fuel shortages, should \u201cgo get your own oil<\/a>\u201d in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the US would not help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ties with Europe<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About ties with Europe, the British prime minister said the global instability caused by the Iran war means Britain should pivot to focusing on closer economic and defence ties with Europe, following repeated criticism from President Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starmer said building stronger relations with Europe would be at the centre of a summit with the European Union in the summer, as he warned the consequences of the Iran war would last for a generation. \u201cIt is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump has repeatedly insulted Starmer, calling him cowardly because of his reluctance to join the US war on Iran, saying he was \u201cNo Winston Churchill\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starmer had initially denied a request from the US to attack Iran from two British bases, but later agreed to allow what he calls defensive missions aimed at protecting residents of the region, including British citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He then said he saw his country\u2019s future being more aligned with Europe and it was necessary to undo some of the \u201cdeep damage\u201d done by Brexit. While he called for an \u201cambitious\u201d reset in relations, he ruled out rejoining the EU\u2019s customs union or its single market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opposition Conservative Party criticised the prime minister, saying he was trying to \u201creopen the old wounds of the Brexit years\u201d, while the populist Reform UK party said he should have announced measures to reduce energy prices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LONDON(National Times)- Britain will this week hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters during a Downing Street […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":123517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nUK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait - Nation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait - Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"LONDON(National Times)- Britain will this week hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters during a Downing Street […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-02T15:20:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-02T15:20:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"670\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"370\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"humza Jahangir\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/\",\"name\":\"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait - Nation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-02T15:20:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-02T15:20:32+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png\",\"width\":670,\"height\":370},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/\",\"name\":\"Nation\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16\",\"name\":\"humza Jahangir\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"humza Jahangir\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/author\/humza\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait - Nation","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait - Nation","og_description":"LONDON(National Times)- Britain will this week hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters during a Downing Street […]","og_url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/","og_site_name":"Nation","article_published_time":"2026-04-02T15:20:31+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-02T15:20:32+00:00","og_image":[{"width":670,"height":370,"url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"humza Jahangir","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"humza Jahangir","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/","name":"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait - Nation","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png","datePublished":"2026-04-02T15:20:31+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-02T15:20:32+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-670x370-26-1.png","width":670,"height":370},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/123516\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"UK to host 35-state moot on reopening of Hormuz Strait"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/","name":"Nation","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/27efa35fa76e99f3ad7e7397d7332c16","name":"humza Jahangir","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/43feedd99bd6a90080d1621b7e6604364acb673ee979d3ffe5075557c14c68b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"humza Jahangir"},"url":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/author\/humza\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123516"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":123518,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123516\/revisions\/123518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}