Inggris Bakal Jadi Tuan Rumah Pertemuan Membahas Pembukaan Selat Hormuz, Tapi Enggan Terlibat Perang
Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday announced that Britain would host a meeting of about 35 countries this week to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which has been paralyzed by the war in the Middle East, ensuring that his country would not be dragged into the conflict.
The United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including the late Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering tensions in the Middle East.
In response, the State of the Mullahs retaliated with drone strikes and missiles targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage and disrupting global markets and flights, including tight control of the vital Strait of Hormuz through which 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas pass.
The meeting will "assess all the diplomatic and political steps we can take to restore freedom of navigation, ensure the safety of trapped ships and sailors, and continue the movement of vital commodities," Starmer told reporters, launching Al Arabiya with AFP (1/4).
However, PM Starmer stressed that Britain would not be involved in the ongoing conflict, saying, "This is not our war. We will not be involved in this conflict. That is not our national interest."
PM Starmer said reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, was vital to reducing domestic economic pressures, and linked the disruption to the cost of living in Britain.
"The most effective way we can do to support the cost of living in the UK is to encourage de-escalation in the Middle East and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," he explained.
Prime Minister Starmer added that the British approach would focus on diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and stabilize navigation through the waterway, which is vital for the transport of oil, gas and other commodities.