UK Foreign Secretary Demands Free Passage Through Strait of Hormuz

Mintesinot Nigussie

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will call on Thursday for unhindered navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route that transports around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas. The statement comes amid Iran’s plan to impose fees on ships passing through the waterway.

In advance extracts from her annual foreign policy speech at Mansion House in London, Cooper emphasised that “The fundamental freedoms of the seas must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders. Nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway.”

The strait had been formally recognised as an international waterway before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Iran has indicated that it intends to charge ships for transit, a position that risks complicating global energy flows.

Cooper will also reiterate international calls for Lebanon to be included in a two-week ceasefire agreed between Iran and the United States on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Israel launched its largest strikes yet on Lebanese territory, targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.

Businesses in energy, shipping and insurance sectors are closely monitoring the situation, as any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz could have significant implications for global oil prices and supply chains.

Overall, the UK’s firm stance on freedom of navigation underscores the international community’s determination to protect vital maritime trade routes amid ongoing regional tensions.

Mintesinot Nigussie