Starmer Says UK Won’t Be Drawn Into Iran War After Trump Ask

Keir Starmer during a news conference at Downing Street in London, on March 16.Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

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By Joe Mayes and Alex Wickham

March 16, 2026 at 10:58 AM UTC

Updated on

March 16, 2026 at 11:55 AM UTC

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK won’t join the US-Israeli war on Iran but will work with partners on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, after President Donald Trump called on allies to send ships to the region.

“We will not be drawn into the wider war,” Starmer said Monday during a press conference in Downing Street. “Ultimately we have to open the Strait of Hormuz. That is not a simple task.”