Stephen Doughty, minister of state for Europe and North America, says that the UK does not support the US blockade of Iranian ports amid a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
Doughty says that while the UK doesn’t support the US blockade, it supports working with the United States and others to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — where he says Iran is holding “the rest of the world to ransom.”
Maritime traffic must flow safely and unimpeded through the strait, he says, “and that includes no tolls, no security risk and, of course, adherence to the international laws on freedom of navigation.”
Diplomacy is crucial, Doughty tells a small group of UN reporters ahead of a Security Council meeting today on the safety of navigation in the critical waterway, through which around 20 percent of the world’s crude oil normally passes.
He says deescalation and a ceasefire are also crucial, stressing that Iran can’t be allowed to block the strait, attack its Gulf neighbors and civilian infrastructure, and develop nuclear weapons.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 27, 2026
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
