Trump, Starmer agree Strait of Hormuz must reopen as Middle East conflict escalates

President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer connected Sunday to sermon escalating tensions successful the Middle East, with a absorption connected the urgent request to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reconstruct planetary shipping.

The leaders discussed the existent concern successful the Middle East, and successful particular, the request to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to resume planetary shipping, Downing Street said successful a statement.

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Keir Stamer, UK premier minister, during a quality league providing an update connected the concern successful the Middle East, astatine Downing Street successful London, UK, connected Thursday, March 5, 2026.  (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"They agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was indispensable to guarantee stableness successful the planetary vigor market. They agreed to talk again soon."

The telephone came amid a rapidly intensifying struggle successful the region, with Iran blocking the strategically captious strait since the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iranian targets connected Feb. 28.

The subject enactment triggered swift retaliation from Tehran and has since escalated into a broader determination warfare arsenic Iran has sent missiles into galore neighboring countries not straight progressive successful the archetypal conflict.

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President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters during a gathering with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin successful the Oval Office of the White House, connected St. Patrick's Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, successful Washington.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

On March 21, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran demanding the reopening of the cardinal maritime route, done which astir 20% of the world’s lipid proviso passes.

In a station connected Truth Social, Trump warned that nonaccomplishment to comply would effect successful further U.S. action, including imaginable strikes connected Iran’s vigor infrastructure.

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Bulk Carrier, Belray, successful the Gulf, adjacent the Strait of Hormuz connected March 22, 2026 successful bluish Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. (Getty Images/Getty Images)

Sunday's speech betwixt Trump and Starmer possibly reflected a thaw successful the tense narration betwixt the 2 leaders.

Trump had publically criticized the U.K. government, stating that Britain "should person acted a batch faster" successful allowing the U.S. to usage British subject bases for strikes targeting Iranian rocket sites.

Starmer had besides maintained that the usage of U.K. bases could lone beryllium justified nether the rule of "collective self-defense" successful the region.

He had initially declined to enactment the U.S.-Israeli subject operation, drafting repeated disapproval from the White House.

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Meanwhile, Trump appeared to use nationalist pressure, sharing a "Saturday Night Live" clip Sunday mocking the British premier minister’s handling of the crisis.