President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday to discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East, focusing 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 statement statement.
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Keir Stamer, Prime Minister of Great Britain, during a press conference giving an update on the situation in the Middle East, at Downing Street in London, UK, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“They agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was essential to ensure stability in the global energy market and agreed to speak again soon.”
The call came amid a rapidly intensifying conflict in the region, with Iran blocking the strategically vital strait since the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iranian targets on February 28.
The military action prompted swift retaliation from Tehran and has since escalated into a broader regional war as Iran has sent missiles to numerous neighboring countries not directly involved in the initial conflict.
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President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
On March 21, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, demanding the reopening of the key maritime route through which about 20% of the world’s oil supplies pass.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that failure to comply would result in further US action, including possible attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
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Bulk carrier, Belray, in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz on March 22, 2026 in northern Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Sunday’s conversation between Trump and Starmer may have reflected a thaw in the tense relationship between the two leaders.
Trump had publicly criticized the British government, stating that Britain “should have acted much faster” by allowing the US to use British military bases for attacks on Iranian missile sites.
Starmer had also insisted that the use of British bases could only be justified on the principle of ‘collective self-defence’ in the region.
He had initially refused to support the US-Israeli military operation, drawing repeated criticism from the White House.
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Meanwhile, Trump appeared to apply public pressure by sharing a clip from “Saturday Night Live” on Sunday in which he mocked the British prime minister’s handling of the crisis.
