UK gathers more than 40 countries to press Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

LONDON (AP) — Britain accused Iran on Thursday of holding the world's economy hostage as diplomats from more than 40 countries held talks on ways to press Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route that has been choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

The U.S. didn't attend the virtual meeting, which came after U.S. President Donald Trump made clear that he thinks securing the waterway is not America’s job. Trump has also disparaged America's European allies for failing to support the war and renewed his threats to pull the U.S. out of NATO.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the talks, which focused on political and diplomatic rather than military means, showed “the strength of our international determination" to reopen the strait. The 41 countries represented came from all continents except Antarctica, a reflection of the global tremors from a war that has sparked shortages of fuel and fertilizer and higher prices for food far beyond the Middle East.

“We have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage,” Cooper said at the start of the meeting. Cooper said “unsustainable” spikes in oil and food prices were “hitting households and businesses in every corner of the world.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/uk-gathers-more-30-countries-041404455.html