Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday insisted Britain would not be dragged into an Iran war or involved in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, whatever the pressure.
"We do not support the blockade," he told BBC Radio 5 Live, adding it was vital to reopen the strait, Al Arabiya reported from Reuters (13/4).
"I think it is very important for us to open the strait fully, and that is where we have put all our efforts in recent years and will continue to do so," said PM Starmer.
"The UK has minesweeping vessels in the area," he said, and although he could not discuss operational matters, the military's capabilities "are focused from our point of view on opening the strait fully."
Previously, the United States military said it would begin blocking all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, after talks with Iran over the weekend failed to reach an agreement to end the war.
US CENTCOM said the US blockade, which began at 10am ET on Monday (1400 GMT), would "be impartially enforced against vessels of all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman."
Ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports will not be deterred, the US military said.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that US forces would also intercept any ship in international waters that had paid customs duties to Iran.
"No one who pays illegal import duties will have a safe path in the open sea," Trump wrote on social media, adding: "Any Iranian who shoots at us, or peaceful vessels, will be DESTROYED!"
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