UK Intensifies Plans for Oil Disruptions from Hormuz Blockade

The UK government has intensified contingency planning to shield the economy from surging oil prices and potential supply disruptions triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that previously handled about 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. The escalation stems from the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which led to a US naval blockade of the strait beginning on April 13. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is scheduled to chair a Cabinet committee meeting on Tuesday to address the fallout, following an earlier session of the Middle East Response Committee last week.

Oil prices have climbed sharply since the blockade, which the US imposed to target Iran's shipping tolls and oil revenues, prompting Iran to label the action as piracy and declare reopening the strait impossible under current conditions. Iranian negotiators met in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday for talks aimed at resolving the conflict, though US President Donald Trump indicated his envoys would not attend further discussions there. The UK has maintained a policy of non-involvement, focusing instead on defensive measures to safeguard...