UK Urges Toll-Free Strait of Hormuz in US-Iran Talks

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urged on Sunday that any negotiations between the United States and Iran must ensure toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as the current ceasefire between the two nations nears its expiration on Tuesday. Speaking en route to Japan for the final leg of a diplomatic tour, Cooper emphasized the waterway's role in carrying one-fifth of the world's oil supply and warned that Iranian proposals for tolls could set a harmful precedent for global shipping.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, was closed by Iran in response to recent strikes by the United States and Israel. In retaliation, President Donald Trump imposed a naval blockade on Iran's oil ports to disrupt Tehran's revenue from fossil fuel exports. Iranian officials have maintained that the strait remains closed to vessels while the U.S. blockade persists, though they announced a conditional reopening for commercial shipping last week. Under the new terms, ships must follow designated routes and obtain Iranian authorization, according to statements from Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.