Middle East Conflict: UK Prime Minister Calls Trump to Discuss Reopening of Strait of Hormuz
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump discussed the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in Iran during a phone conversation regarding the ongoing Middle East conflict. Traffic through the strait has slowed by about 95% since the Iran war began on 28 February.
According to the BBC on Monday (23/3/2026), a Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders “agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is vital to ensure stability in the global energy market” during their conversation on Sunday (22/3) evening.
This comes ahead of Starmer leading an emergency Cobra meeting, which will be attended by Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, to discuss the war’s impact on the cost of living. The Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer and Trump “agreed to speak again soon”.
Iran has effectively blockaded the strait since the US and Israel attacked the country on 28 February. Around 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes through the strait, and global fuel prices have surged following the war, with crude oil prices rising 45% to $106 per barrel.
In a social media post on Saturday (21/3), Trump threatened to “destroy” Iran’s power plants if the strait is not opened within 48 hours. Tehran said it would target US-related energy sites across the Gulf region if the US follows through on its threat, according to Iranian state media.
Topics expected to be discussed at the Cobra meeting, which will also be attended by the chancellor, foreign secretary, and energy secretary, include energy security and the economic impact of the crisis on families. The ministers will also address the effects on businesses and supply chains, along with the international response.
Speaking to the BBC on Sunday (22/3), Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the government has taken action on energy bills, including a £53 million package for households struggling with the sharp rise in heating oil prices. He also said that “there is no specific assessment that Iran is targeting the UK—or even capable of doing so if it wanted to”.
This follows Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) stating on Saturday (21/3) that Tehran possesses weapons capable of reaching up to 4,000 km (2,485 miles). It was previously revealed that Iran targeted the joint US-UK military base in the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, about 3,800 km from Iran.
Reed declined to say how close those missiles could come to UK overseas territories, stating that he could not share “operational details”. Iran fired two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia—one failed and fell short of the target, while the other was intercepted, Reed said.
On Friday (19/3), the government agreed to allow the US to use UK bases to launch strikes on Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz.
Previously, the government had only permitted US forces to use the bases for defensive operations to prevent Iran from firing missiles endangering British interests or lives.