PM: UK to help restore shipping through Strait of Hormuz after US-Iran deal

On June 16, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the United Kingdom would "play our full part" in efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. President Donald Trump secured an agreement with Iran aimed at reopening the strategic waterway.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Starmer welcomed the breakthrough and praised the diplomatic efforts behind the deal, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"Let me first say how much we welcome the deal that President Trump has been able to get in this situation, congratulate him and the mediators on the work that they have done, because this is a really important breakthrough," Starmer told reporters.

The agreement, which Trump said could be formally signed in Switzerland as early as Friday (June 19) , is expected to allow oil shipments to resume through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy exports from the Persian Gulf.

"At the G7 here we've been discussing the details of that deal and how we get the Strait of Hormuz open as quickly as possible," Starmer said.

France and Britain have been coordinating efforts with a group of countries willing to support the reopening of the strait and provide reassurance to commercial vessels operating in the area.

"As you will know, President Macron and I put together a group of countries prepared to play their part in terms of reassurance to get vessels through the strait," Starmer said.

"That is hugely important in terms of reopening the strait, very, very important for us in the UK, because, of course, the strait being closed in the way that it has has had an impact on our economy, had an impact on every household across the country, so we'll play our full part in relation to that."

French President Emmanuel Macron said France could deploy fighter jets to patrol the strait as soon as Tuesday (June 16) and noted that a French aircraft carrier was already operating in the region.

Britain and France have led planning for a defensive maritime mission designed to protect and reassure shipping once hostilities have ended. The initiative could include the deployment of autonomous mine-hunting systems.

Trump said on Monday (June 15) that he did not believe the United States would "need much help" to guarantee freedom of navigation in the strait following the agreement with Iran, although he added that having naval vessels from partner countries in the area would not be "a bad idea."

While the deal is expected to end the conflict, lift the U.S. blockade and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, questions surrounding Iran's nuclear programme remain unresolved and are expected to be addressed in separate negotiations.

Iran's foreign minister has also said that the agreement requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, although Israel is not a party to the deal.

By Aghakazim Guliyev