British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump discussed ways to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
“The leaders discussed the need for a practical plan to resume shipping as soon as possible“, said a statement released by the prime minister's office after his phone call with the White House.
Downing Street noted that politicians agreed that “now that a ceasefire is in place and there is an agreement to open the strait“, the “next stage in finding a solution“ has begun.
The statement said Starmer, who is visiting Qatar, briefed the US leader about London's efforts to develop a unified position among several countries in order to “negotiate a viable plan“ to resume shipping through this strait, which is crucial for global economic activity.
During his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, US President Donald Trump insisted that the alliance countries take concrete measures to ensure the safety of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reports.
According to the media, the American leader insisted that NATO members make the relevant commitments within the next few days.
On April 7, the US president announced a two-week mutual ceasefire with Iran. He said that the two countries had resolved almost all disputed issues, and Washington is considering Tehran's 10-point proposals as a “working basis“ for further negotiations. The US prime minister said the decision was based on Iran's willingness to open the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran, in turn, agreed to stop "defensive attacks" if the Islamic Republic was not attacked.
Earlier, the Iranian navy announced that all ships planning to pass through the Strait of Hormuz must follow two alternative routes through the Strait of Hormuz from the Persian Gulf and back. Both pass through the waters of Larak Island.