London, March 16 (SANA) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that the United Kingdom is working alongside international allies to develop a collective plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Crucially, Starmer clarified that this initiative will operate independently and will not fall under the umbrella of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Starmer noted that London is coordinating with European and Gulf partners, as well as the United States, to establish an “actionable plan” to restore freedom of navigation and mitigate the severe global economic fallout. While the Prime Minister confirmed he had discussed the matter with U.S. President Donald Trump, he maintained that Britain would take the necessary steps to defend its interests without being “dragged into a wider war” in the Middle East.
In a parallel development, the German government moved to distance the Alliance from the escalating conflict between the U.S.-Israeli axis and Iran. Steffen Cornelius, spokesperson for the German Chancellor, stated in a press conference that NATO has “no business” in the current regional war, describing the Alliance strictly as a “territorial defense pact.” He emphasized that there is no mandate for the deployment of NATO forces under the current circumstances.
These diplomatic maneuvers follow a stern warning from President Donald Trump, who suggested that NATO faces a “very bad” future if its member states refuse to assist Washington in securing the vital waterway. The Strait of Hormuz, which facilitates nearly one-fifth of global oil and gas trade, has been effectively paralyzed since the commencement of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
As the conflict threatens the core of global energy security, the push for a non-NATO coalition highlights the deep strategic rift within the Alliance regarding out-of-area military involvement.
