UK and 5 Nations Welcome Preparatory Planning to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

The United Kingdom, joined by France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan, issued a joint statement on March 19 condemning Iran’s “de facto closure” of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s ongoing attacks on global energy infrastructure, according to the statement, released by the UK government.

The coalition of world leaders condemned “in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations,” labeling the interference a direct “threat to international peace and security.”

The statement calls for an “immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure” and demands that Tehran comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.

As the blockade severs a critical artery for 20% of the world’s oil production, the allies have welcomed International Energy Agency (IEA) coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves. “We will take other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations to increase output,” the statement reads, emphasizing that “freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law.”

Beyond economic measures, the signatory nations expressed “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” while not directly stating what these efforts would entail, militarily or otherwise.

Read more

Category

World

As Iranian Drones Strike US Gulf Allies, Ukraine’s Layered Air Defense Model Proves Its Value

Mar 03, 2026 16:41

The statement warned that the disruption would be felt globally, “especially by the most vulnerable,” and pledged to work through the United Nations and international financial institutions to support the most affected states.

The 2026 global energy crisis worsened as the blockade in the Middle East forced Western powers into economic maneuvers to prevent a deep systemic crisis. To ease the pressure on energy supplies, the US Treasury issued an unprecedented 30-day waiver allowing Indian refineries to purchase millions of barrels of Russian crude that had been stranded at sea.

Protect Ukrainian Skies

Subscribe to Sky Defense