LONDON — Diplomats from more than 40 countries held talks in London on ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Britain accusing Iran of holding the world's economy hostage. The United States did not attend the virtual meeting.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the talks focused on political and diplomatic measures rather than military means to reopen the strait. "We have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage," Cooper said, adding that spikes in oil and food prices are affecting households and businesses worldwide.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the meeting would explore diplomatic and political measures to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers, and resume the movement of vital commodities. Resuming shipping through the strait will require a united front of military strength, diplomatic activity, and partnership with the maritime industry, according to Starmer.

More than three dozen countries, including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates, signed a statement demanding that Iran stop attempting to block the strait and pledging to contribute to efforts to ensure safe passage. Working-level meetings of officials will follow the initial session to develop detailed plans for reopening the waterway.

The strait connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world's oceans. Iranian attacks on commercial ships have halted nearly all traffic through the passage, and petroleum prices have risen sharply. Iran requires vetting to determine which vessels can pass, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence, with remaining tanker traffic dominated by tankers carrying Iranian oil.

Since Feb. 28, 2026 — when the war between the U.S.-Israeli coalition and Iran began — there have been 23 direct attacks on commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf, killing 11 crew members, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence. Iran can target vessels in the strait with anti-ship missiles, drones, attack craft, and mines, and no country is willing to open the waterway by force while the conflict continues.

Military planners from multiple countries will meet to plan security measures for the strait after the fighting ends. Planned measures include potential mine-clearing work and reassurance for commercial shipping.

The U.S. did not participate in the talks. The coalition effort echoed the international coalition of the willing assembled by the U.K. and France to support Ukraine's security.

David B. Roberts, a reader in Middle East security studies at King's College London, said that international coalition-building efforts are linked to Trump's antagonism toward NATO and concerns that other NATO members are not pulling their weight. "There's also the very pragmatic reality that America is an oil exporter," Roberts said. "The immediate pressures about the fallout of the of the energy blockage in the Gulf, they fall on Europe and of course Asia, far more than America."