UK says Iran cannot 'hold global economy hostage' by blocking Strait of Hormuz

LONDON

The British foreign secretary on Friday condemned Iran's attacks on neighboring countries and blocking international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran cannot be allowed to hold the global economy hostage.

"Iran cannot be able to just hold the global economy hostage as a result of a strait, which is about international shipping routes and the freedom of navigation that has been so strongly supported at the UN," Yvette Cooper told reporters in Paris ahead of a G7 foreign ministers meeting.

Cooper said there is a need for a swift resolution to the Middle East conflict that restores regional stability, including the critical Strait of Hormuz.

"That's why we have more than 30 countries coming together to talk about the processes that are needed to ensure the reopening of the Straits of Hormuz and also the protection for international shipping," she noted.

Cooper also stressed the need for partnership, including diplomacy, to address the situation.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since early March. Around 20 million barrels of oil normally pass through the waterway daily, and its disruption has driven up shipping costs and pushed global oil prices higher.

For nearly a month, the US and Israel have carried out an air offensive on Iran, so far killing over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.