Oil prices jumped more than 5% on Monday after Donald Trump announced the US would reimpose a naval blockade of Iranian ports and charge a 20% fee on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz — a move the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, immediately condemned as a threat to global trade.
Starmer called for unrestricted transit through the strategic waterway and urged an immediate end to hostilities, insisting that diplomacy must replace the escalating exchanges of fire between Washington and Tehran. His intervention came as the US military launched its third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, targeting assets in the region.
“Keir Starmer demands unrestricted Strait of Hormuz access after Trump announces 20% cargo charge and blockade.”
The Liberal Democrats went further, branding Trump's proposed fee "state-backed highway robbery", "an act of economic extortion" and "a flagrant violation of international law".
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared the US would become "THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and that the 20% charge was "a matter of FAIRNESS" to cover the cost of providing security. He insisted the strait "will remain OPEN, with or without Iran" and said the blockade — lifted just over three weeks ago as part of an interim ceasefire — would resume on 14 July.
"We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran's ships or customers from entering or leaving," he wrote. "All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait."
But Iran's foreign minister responded defiantly, saying Tehran would remain the strait's "GUARDIAN" — using Trump's own word.
The latest escalation began on Sunday when Iran attacked a container ship in the strait. US Central Command said the subsequent strikes, launched at 16:45 Eastern Time on Monday, were carried out "at the Commander in Chief's direction" and would "continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces". Iran's army said it had targeted US military assets in Kuwait, according to state media.
Trump has notified Congress that US military action in Iran resumed on 7 July. Federal law requires congressional approval to continue operations beyond 60 days, with a possible 30-day extension.
The president said he would make an address to the nation on Thursday evening but gave no further details.
