Lead

The United Kingdom has convened a virtual meeting of 35 countries to explore ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that has been effectively shut down by Iran amid the US-Israeli war. The talks, chaired by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, are set to assess diplomatic and political measures to restore freedom of navigation in the waterway, which carries about a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the meeting on Wednesday, saying it would "assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities." The discussions come as global energy prices have soared following Iran's closure of the strait.

Coverage comparison

Reporting on the initiative has been broadly consistent across outlets, with ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, Dawn, The Guardian — World, Jerusalem Post, and TASS — English all covering the UK-led effort. The main differences lie in the framing of the cause of the crisis. ABC Australia, Dawn, The Guardian, and TASS attribute the closure to Iran's actions, while Al Jazeera and Jerusalem Post describe it as retaliation for the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The US's absence from the talks is noted by multiple sources. ABC Australia and The Guardian report that Washington will not attend, while Al Jazeera and Jerusalem Post quote President Donald Trump as saying that securing the waterway is the responsibility of other nations. Trump has also criticised European allies for failing to support the US war effort, according to ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, and Jerusalem Post.

Australia's participation is a focal point for ABC Australia, The Guardian, and TASS, which report that Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has said Canberra is discussing with the UK and France what contribution it could make. Australia already has an E-7 Wedgetail surveillance aircraft deployed to the United Arab Emirates, as reported by ABC Australia and The Guardian.

Key claims

  • The UK is convening a meeting of 35 countries to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and reported by ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, Dawn, The Guardian, and Jerusalem Post.
  • Iran has effectively shut down the strait in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes, according to Al Jazeera and Jerusalem Post, while ABC Australia, Dawn, The Guardian, and TASS attribute the closure to Iran's actions.
  • The US is not attending the meeting, as reported by ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and Jerusalem Post.
  • The strait carries about a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies, according to Al Jazeera, Jerusalem Post, and other sources.
  • About 1,000 ships are stranded by Iran's partial blockade, a claim carried by a single outlet (Al Jazeera) and not yet independently verified in the provided material.
  • The meeting will be followed by a convening of military planners to discuss how to make the strait accessible and safe after the fighting stops, as stated by Starmer and reported by Al Jazeera, Dawn, The Guardian, and Jerusalem Post.
  • Australia may take part in efforts to ensure freedom of navigation if a lasting ceasefire is achieved, according to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, as reported by ABC Australia and TASS.
  • The Strait of Hormuz is only closed to vessels of enemy countries and their allies, a claim carried by a single outlet (TASS) and not yet independently verified in the provided material.

Perspectives

UK government (Keir Starmer): Stresses diplomatic solutions and a broad coalition, saying the UK will not be drawn into war and will explore "each and every diplomatic avenue" to reopen the strait.

US President Donald Trump: Criticises allies for insufficient support and says securing the waterway is not Washington's responsibility, while ruling out a peace deal until conditions are met.

Australia (Richard Marles): Expresses interest in contributing but stops short of committing additional military assets, emphasising the need for a lasting ceasefire before action is taken.