Iran shouldn’t be allowed to ‘hijack’ Strait of Hormuz, Cooper warns
While Yvette Cooper acknowledged “a lot of work needs to be done” to successfully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, she insisted Iran should not be allowed to impose tolls on the key shipping route.
The foreign minister called on the United States and Iran to advance negotiations amid an increasingly fragile ceasefire, while warning that “no country should be able to seize international shipping routes such as the Bosphorus.”
Ms Cooper said the government’s priority was to ensure that hostilities between Tehran and Washington did not continue and that she “crucially” wanted the Strait of Hormuz reopened.
But when asked on Thursday if he was confident it would be possible, he said: “There is a lot of work to be done and we need the negotiations to move forward.”
He said he would meet with the International Maritime Organization later Thursday about proposals to move some of the first ships, but that Iran should not be allowed to impose tolls on the strait.
“It is very important that Iran is not allowed to charge transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
“This is an international transit route across the high seas, so charges and restrictions cannot be permitted on this route when it reopens.”
In retaliation for US attacks on Tehran, Iran effectively blockaded the strait, through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s gas and oil passes, causing energy prices to rise worldwide.
The route was officially considered an international waterway before the conflict began in February, but Iran has now said it wants to charge a fee for ships to pass.
Ms Cooper told the BBC she had been in contact with Gulf partners who were “very clear about the damage the fees would do to international shipping” and that they had said “absolutely not” to the idea.
Sir Keir Starmer arrived in the UAE on Thursday as he continues a trip to the Gulf states amid concerns that the two-week conditional ceasefire agreement is strained.
Confusion arose after a ceasefire agreement was reached earlier this week, which Iran and Pakistan said included Lebanon, but which Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House said did not.
Hundreds of people have been killed and injured in Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Civil Defense. Israeli army told Independent He said he carried out the “biggest strike” against the country since the beginning of the conflict.
Ms Cooper said she was “deeply disturbed” by Israeli attacks on Lebanon and called for the ceasefire agreement to be extended to stop them.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “I am deeply concerned about the increasing Israeli attacks in Lebanon yesterday.
“We have seen the humanitarian consequences of the mass displacement of people in Lebanon.”
Ms Cooper also criticized Mr Trump’s “escalatory rhetoric” after the US president threatened to resume attacks on Iran, warning it could lead to “escalatory consequences”.
He said all American military personnel would remain stationed in the region until the agreement was “fully complied with,” and if not, then “the ‘Starts of Shooting’ would be bigger, better and stronger than anyone had ever seen before.”
Despite Mr Trump’s repeated criticism of Sir Keir, Ms Cooper insisted the UK would continue to work closely with the US on a range of issues.
Asked if it was a good relationship, he told the BBC: “I would say it’s not just a good relationship, it’s a really important relationship.”
He added: “Of course there are areas where we differ and we have to make sure that there will always be areas where we disagree, and we can do that while maintaining important collaboration.”
