US allies weigh Iran outreach and sanctions to open Hormuz

A coalition of US allies is preparing a diplomatic push to persuade Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and weighing potential sanctions on Tehran if the waterway remains closed. British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper will chair a virtual meeting on Thursday with counterparts from some 35 countries including France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and UAE to discuss a plan to restore freedom of navigation in the strait. The US is not due to attend.

With the conflict now in its second month, re-opening the Strait of Hormuz has become a priority for govts around the world as energy prices soar and the threat of shortages looms.




The countries convened by Britain will cover three tracks: diplomatic, economic and military, according to people familiar with the matter, who were granted anonymity discussing information that has not been made public. The focus for now will be on the diplomatic track, coordinating efforts fronted by nations with channels into Tehran, the people said. Should that prove unsuccessful, the coalition would consider economic measures targeting Iran’s oil and shipping industries, they added.

At a later date, the group could set conditions for potential military options if they were needed, the people said. They cautioned that these conversations were at an early stage and would not be the focus of Thursday’s meeting. Any military track would likely only involve some of the countries in the coalition, and for many members it may be focused on helping police the waterway and clearing mines after the fighting had stopped, they said.

PM Starmer has ruled out joining the war and while French President Macron said on a visit to Tokyo Wednesday that European, Asian and West Asian countries “can play a role in ensuring that transit through the Strait of Hormuz proceeds smoothly,” he insisted “this is not a military option at all.”

Bloomberg