Hormuz crisis grows: UK challenges Trump on 'blockade'

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a clear stance against US President Donald Trump's call for a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz against Iran. While stating that his country would not accept restrictions on maritime transport, Starmer said, "We will continue our cooperation with the international community to protect freedom of navigation."

Trump recently stated that he assumed the UK would send minesweeper ships to the region to prevent shipments from Iran. In response, Starmer told BBC Radio 5 Live that the United Kingdom is working on a long-term plan with more than thirty countries to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The Prime Minister also added that they are re-evaluating the fuel tax increase planned for September, and that this decision will depend on how the current situation in the strait develops in the coming weeks.

In Germany, new policies are being implemented to support the economy amid the ongoing conflicts in Iran and the region. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that US and Israeli military operations against Iran will continue and that the economic consequences for his country will be long-lasting. Merz announced that they have prepared a 1.6 billion Euro support package to protect consumers due to the rise in fuel prices.

Furthermore, the Berlin administration stated that there will be a 17-cent-per-liter reduction in gasoline tax and that employers will be able to pay their employees a tax-free bonus of 1,000 Euros.

While expressing that he was not surprised by the failure of negotiations between US Vice President JD Vance and Iran, Chancellor Merz said, "I never had the impression from the very beginning that these talks were properly prepared. This situation will now turn into a quite long process, and we will continue to feel the consequences of this war for a longer period of time."