Iran War & Ceasefire — 2026-04-13

UK Refuses to Join US Blockade as France and UK Plan Multinational Hormuz Mission

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared Britain will not support the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stating the UK "is not getting dragged in" to the Iran war. Separately, Starmer and French President Macron agreed after a phone call to pursue a multinational effort to resume navigation in the strait. The UK has gathered foreign ministers from 40 countries including France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Australia to discuss options. France proposes escorting oil tankers once fighting subsides but rejects military force to reopen the strait as "unrealistic."

Analysis
The new development since last cycle is the France-UK plan for a multinational Hormuz mission, the first credible multilateral alternative to emerge. A 40-nation coalition discussing options represents a diplomatic counterweight to both the US unilateral blockade and Iran's de facto control. France's explicit rejection of military force to reopen the strait constrains what the coalition can actually do, leaving escort operations for tankers once fighting subsides as the most likely outcome. The gap between allied rhetoric and operational capability remains the key uncertainty.

2 sources

UK will not back blockade of Strait of Hormuz, PM Starmer says - Global Banking and Finance
PM call with President Macron of France: 12 April 2026 - UK Government