British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has welcomed the agreement reached between the United States and Iran, describing it as a significant step toward ending months of conflict, restoring regional stability and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
In a statement issued on Monday, Starmer praised the diplomatic efforts that helped bring the two sides to an agreement. He singled out Pakistan and Qatar for their roles in facilitating negotiations, while also acknowledging the contribution of other international partners involved in the peace process.
The British leader said attention must now shift to implementing the memorandum of understanding agreed by Washington and Tehran. He stressed that ensuring the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining unrestricted access to the waterway would be critical to restoring confidence in global trade and energy markets.
“We stand ready to support the technical talks that will now begin. Our priority is that this becomes a durable and lasting peace, and we will work with international partners to support that,” Starmer said.
The Prime Minister noted that the prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz had affected economies around the world, contributing to higher costs for businesses and households. He emphasized that the restoration of toll-free freedom of navigation through the strategic shipping lane should help ease some of the economic pressures experienced in recent months.
“We are clear that toll-free freedom of navigation must now be restored in the Strait of Hormuz, to begin easing the severe economic impacts that have been felt for several months on families here in the UK and around the world,” the statement said.
Starmer also indicated that Britain would continue cooperating with allies to support maritime security in the region. He referred to a defensive multilateral mission that Britain and France have helped plan, saying it could provide assistance if required, particularly in clearing mines and ensuring safe passage for commercial vessels.
The agreement is also expected to pave the way for further discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme. Starmer reiterated Britain’s longstanding position that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons and stressed that any commitments made under the agreement must be subject to verification and full implementation.
“For any peace to endure, it is essential that the commitments made, particularly in relation to Iran’s nuclear program, are robust, verifiable and fully implemented. It remains the UK’s firm and longstanding position that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
The agreement has been welcomed by several governments as a breakthrough that could reduce tensions in the Middle East and help stabilize global energy supplies after months of uncertainty and conflict.
