NATO chief praises U.K. leadership of Hormuz coalition as Iran seeks control of strait

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday praised the work of U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer in building a coalition of nations to restore normal shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz bordering Iran.

In remarks at the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington, Mr. Rutte said Mr. Starmer and other alliance members are looking for “what they can do to contribute” to reopening the strait amid a U.S.-Iran ceasefire that was announced Tuesday.

“When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, it was the Kier Starmer, the U.K. prime minister, who took the leadership role here,” Mr. Rutte said. “He said, ’We have to put together a coalition of countries that is able to collectively make sure that the principle of free shipping, of free travel, of our seas is upheld.’”

Mr. Rutte said it means coordinating operations with the U.S. and deploying some of America’s assets to the region eventually, including minesweepers, frigates and warships. President Trump met with Mr. Rutte on Wednesday at the White House.

The U.K. announced the creation of a “Hormuz coalition” earlier this month, focused on facilitating “accessibility and security of the strait after the cessation of hostilities.” The coalition includes at least 38 nations, including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada and the Republic of Korea.

The U.S. notably is not part of the coalition, and its formation follows Mr. Trump’s demand that European nations take a leading role in reopening the strait. Mr. Trump has said the U.S. does not need the oil that travels through the waterway, and called on the European Union to either force the strait open themselves or purchase U.S. oil.

China, which gets most of its oil from the Middle East and is the largest purchaser of Iranian oil, is also noticeably absent from the coalition’s membership. But China, along with Russia, successfully blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution that could have authorized force to reopen the strait earlier this month.

At least 20% of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz each year, and its closure has sent shockwaves through the global economy, driven up oil prices and put extensive pressure on Europe as it attempts to pivot away from Russian energy imports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran generated some optimism among European leaders and investors. Despite the terms of the agreement requiring Iran to reopen the strait, however, the number of commercial ships transiting the strait has remained in the single digits.

Iran’s continued assault on Gulf nations such as the UAE and Kuwait, and Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, have added to the overall skepticism among commercial shipping companies.

Additionally, Iran has moved to formalize its de facto control over the strait. Tehran’s parliament is currently considering legislation that would establish a fee system for all ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran has insisted that any peace deal with the U.S. must recognize its sovereignty over the waterway.

British officials on Thursday rejected the idea of Iran setting up a toll system for the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that commercial ships should be able to traverse the waterway freely and safely under international law.

British Defense Secretary John Healey told reporters that the United Kingdom and its allies want to see the strait reopened soon and that the creation of a toll system, under which commercial vessels would pay a high price to safely travel through the waterway, would set a dangerous precedent.

His comments come after Mr. Trump implied that the U.S. could enter a “joint venture” with Iran to set up a toll system, which would theoretically generate revenue for Washington and Tehran.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also rejected the idea of a toll system on Thursday in a statement. The creation of such a system would undermine the “fundamental principles of the law of the sea,” she said.