Joint statement on the Strait of Hormuz: 3 July 2026

UK Government / GOV.UK | July 3, 2026

Statement

Joint statement by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron on the Strait of Hormuz.

"The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for the global economy. Restoring safe transit for ships of all nations through the Strait is a matter of global concern."

"The Sultanate of Oman has agreed to work with the United Kingdom and France to ensure that its sovereign territorial waters are safe for navigation."

"The United Kingdom and France also stand ready to deploy the wider Multinational Military Mission to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

"The United Kingdom and France reaffirm their shared commitment to regional stability, respect for the sovereignty of all States, and their willingness to maintain close cooperation with their partners in order to uphold global security, freedom of navigation and international law."

Significance

  • First formal UK-France-Oman alignment on Strait governance since the crisis began
  • Signals willingness to use multinational military force to guarantee freedom of navigation
  • Contrasts with US unilateral approach — France/UK positioning themselves as alternative guarantors