Forty countries are in talks to coordinate reopening the Strait of Hormuz after Iran blocked the vital oil transit route, British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Thursday. The move follows Iran's closure of the waterway, which carries about 20 percent of the world's oil, in response to US-Israeli military strikes that began in late February. Cooper described Iran's actions as "recklessness" that is "hitting our global economic security," adding that Tehran was effectively hijacking an international shipping lane to hold the global economy hostage. The virtual meeting included France, Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and India, among others, though the United States did not participate, according to an official.
The discussions come amid soaring energy prices and growing pressure on nations dependent on oil shipments through the Strait. US President Donald Trump had previously stated that reopening the waterway was not solely a US responsibility, suggesting it would open "naturally" and that countries reliant on it should secure their own interests. His comments came a day before the meeting, when he also claimed the US could end the conflict with Iran in two to three weeks, with or without a deal. European nations have so far declined Trump's call to deploy naval forces to the region, citing concerns over escalation and being drawn further into the conflict.
When Yvette Cooper accuses Iran of holding the global economy hostage, she is framing an act of retaliation as economic warfare — a shift that justifies collective intervention. The absence of the US from the talks, despite Trump's aggressive rhetoric, exposes a disconnect between words and action, leaving allies to manage fallout from a crisis the US helped ignite. Europe's refusal to send navies underscores reluctance to escalate, but also reveals fragility in Western unity when confronted with strategic chokepoints. If the Strait remains closed, it won't be military posturing but energy shortages and inflation that redefine global power balances.
