Trump, Johnson discuss wide range of issues on phone

ANKARA

U.S. President Donald Trump and Britain’s newly elected Prime Minister Boris Johnson held talks by phone Friday covering multiple issues, according to a statement by the prime minister’s office.

Trump congratulated Johnson on his new role and the two leaders discussed Brexit, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and trade agreements.

“The prime minister and the president also discussed the current tensions with Iran and the need to work together and with partners to address their destabilizing behavior in the Gulf,” the statement said.

Tensions between London and Tehran peaked after they seized each other’s ships. Following Iran's seizure of British-flagged ships, Britain's Royal Navy decided to escort the vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Both leaders expressed their commitment to "delivering an ambitious free trade agreement and to starting negotiations as soon as possible after the U.K. leaves the EU," the statement added.

They agreed that the U.K.’s exit from the European Union offered an “unparalleled opportunity to strengthen the economic partnership” between their countries.

Johnson is known as a hardline supporter of Brexit -- the withdrawal of the U.K. from the EU. He has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the union with or without a deal.

Trump earlier criticized former U.K. premier Theresa May for the "mess" she and her representatives created, referring to the country's Brexit deal with the EU.

The British and American leaders will meet at the 45th G7 summit in Biarritz, France in late August.