President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday to discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East, with a focus on the urgent need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore global shipping.
The leaders discussed the current situation in the Middle East, and in particular, the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to resume global shipping, Downing Street said in a broader regional war as Iran has sent missiles into numerous neighboring countries not directly involved in the initial conflict.
On March 21, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran demanding the reopening of the key maritime route, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that failure to comply would result in further U.S. action, including potential strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Sunday's conversation between Trump and Starmer perhaps reflected a thaw in the tense relationship between the two leaders.
Trump had publicly criticized the U.K. government, stating that Britain "should have acted a lot faster" in allowing the U.S. to use British military bases for strikes targeting Iranian missile sites.
Starmer had also maintained that the use of U.K. bases could only be justified under the principle of "collective self-defense" in the region.
He had initially declined to support the U.S.-Israeli military operation, drawing repeated criticism from the White House.
Meanwhile, Trump appeared to apply public pressure, sharing a "Saturday Night Live" clip Sunday mocking the British prime minister’s handling of the crisis.