UK will 'not be involved' in Donald Trump's blockade of Strait of Hormuz

In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform after the peace talks ended without a deal, the US President said the US navy would also "seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran.

"No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas."

He continued to say that although US peace talks in Pakistan involving US Vice-President JD Vance "went well" with "most points agreed to", the matter of Iran's nuclear future "was not".

Without elaborating, Mr Trump said “other countries will be involved with this blockade".

However, it is understood the UK will not be one of the nations involved in the US President's blockade of the vital shipping lane.

A Government spokesman said: "We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home.

"The Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to tolling.

"We are urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation."

Mr Trump's blockade will mean tankers transporting precious resources and oil will be prevented from entering or leaving the bottlenecked shipping lane.

The 29-mile-wide stretch of water is thought to be filled with Iranian sea mines, which the regime is no longer able to locate.

Despite the UK's lack of involvement in the blockade, it is understood UK mine hunting systems are already in the region.

A Downing Street spokesman said around 8.30pm: "The Prime Minister spoke with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, earlier this afternoon.

"The leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and the importance of de‑escalation across the region.

"The Prime Minister stressed the need for a lasting ceasefire, with both leaders agreeing that any ceasefire must include Lebanon to support wider regional stability.

"They agreed on the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz for global trade and energy supplies, and on the need to work with a wide coalition of partners to protect freedom of navigation.

"Turning to Europe, they underlined the importance of close cooperation between the UK, France and the EU in tackling shared challenges.

"On migration, the leaders discussed the importance of continuing efforts to reduce dangerous small boat crossings and tackle irregular migration, including through bilateral cooperation and work with European partners.

"They agreed to stay in close touch."

Just prior to revelations about the UK's lack of involvement in the blockade, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey told the Prime Minister he should not join with the US, saying: "Keir Starmer should rule out the UK joining Donald Trump’s latest escalation in his idiotic war. Iran won’t give ships free passage but a unilateral blockade is not the right way to end this.

"The UK should be working with other countries to get the US and Iran back to the negotiating table, not fanning the flames of war.

"It’s just days since Trump threatened to destroy a whole civilisation, and a return to war would be disastrous. The Prime Minister needs to work in lock-step with our reliable partners to secure a diplomatic end to this crisis."

Shortly afterwards, Donald Trump criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s stance on Washington’s war against Iran, comparing the Prime Minister to Neville Chamberlain – whose premiership was defined by his 1930s appeasement of Adolf Hitler.

"Nato is shameful," the US President told Fox News.

"I mean, look at the United Kingdom… PM Starmer said ‘we’ll send the equipment after the war is over’.

"I said ‘you don’t need equipment when the war is over. You need the equipment before the war starts, or during the war’…

"He made a public statement that ‘we will send equipment after the war is over’, that’s a Neville Chamberlain statement."

GB News has contacted the MoD for comment.