The virtual meeting came days after the U.S. president called for NATO countries to “take the lead” and send warships into the Strait, whose retaliatory blockage by Iran has set off a global energy crisis. Trump doubled down Wednesday night, telling POLITICO: “They gotta get guts and go in.”
A readout of the meeting, provided by the U.K. side, said participants agreed to turn up international heat “including through the UN, to send clear and co-ordinated messages to Iran to permit unimpeded transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz and to comprehensively reject the imposition of tolls on vessels which seek to pass through.”
It promised to explore “co-ordinated economic and political measures, such as sanctions” to increase the pressure on Tehran if the Strait stays closed.
And there was talk of “arrangements to support greater market and operational confidence,” including boosting informational sharing “with shipping operators and industry bodies.”
But the 90-minute call also showed the reluctance among those on Trump’s wishlist to deploy military force in the Strait while the war continues.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who led the call, promised to convene military planners “to look at how we marshal our collective defensive military capabilities,” including through de-mining missions. But she made clear this would only come into play “once the conflict eases.” Work on post-conflict military planning hasn’t started yet, although an initial meeting along those lines is due on Tuesday.