More than 40 countries convened for talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route blocked due to the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Britain’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper accused Iran of hijacking the strait to hold the global economy hostage -that’s not the way of doing it Yvette – citing unsustainable spikes in oil and food prices affecting households worldwide. The virtual meeting, which the U.S. did not attend, focused on political and diplomatic solutions rather than military action.

President Donald Trump has stated that securing the waterway is not America’s responsibility, while also criticizing European allies for lacking war support and renewing threats to withdraw from NATO. Over three dozen nations, including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, and the UAE, signed a statement demanding Iran cease blocking the strait and pledging to ensure safe passage. Cooper noted that the talks addressed international planning measures to safely reopen the route and protect 20,000 seafarers on 2,000 trapped ships.

“Well, after accusations and threats, petitions are coming… that’s not smart diplomacy.”

janus