Yvette Cooper threatens Iranian regime with sanctions over Strait of Hormuz disaster
It came as the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper held crunch talks with dozens of nations and demanded the “immediate and unconditional reopening” of the vital shipping route
Yvette Cooper has condemned Iran’s recklessness over the Strait of Hormuz(Image: Getty Images)
Yvette Cooper has condemned Iran’s recklessness and accused the regime of attempting to hold the global economy hostage in the Strait of Hormuz.
It came as the Foreign Secretary held crunch talks with dozens of nations and demanded the “immediate and unconditional reopening” of the vital shipping route. The UK and its allies also discussed “sanctions to bear down on Iran” if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
The Iranian regime’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – in retaliation to US and Israeli bombs and missiles – has sent global oil prices surging and raised fears of shortages. Before the crisis in the Middle East, in excess of 150 tankers a day passed through the Strait – but just five vessels passed through the shipping route in the last 24 hours.
Gathering over 40 countries for a virtual meeting on Thursday, the Foreign Secretary said: “There have been over 25 attacks on vessels in the Strait, and there are some 20,000 tracked seafarers on some 2,000 trapped ships.”
Ms Cooper added: “We have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage. This is hitting the trading routes for Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi, Oman, Iraq, but that means liquid natural gas for Asia, fertiliser for Africa, and jet fuel for the world.
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“That Iranian recklessness towards countries who were never involved in this conflict, which we and 130 countries across the world have strongly condemned at the United Nations, is not just hitting mortgage rates and petrol prices and the cost of living here in the UK and in many different countries across the world, it is hitting our global economic security.”
A statement after the meeting also raised the prospect of further sanctions on Iran and diplomatic pressure through the United Nations. It said allies “discussed a number of areas of possible collective, coordinated, action”. This included: “Explore co-ordinated economic and political measures, such as sanctions, to bear down on Iran if the Strait remains closed.”
Her comments came after the US President Donald Trump addressed the American nation in a 20-minute television speech on Wednesday evening, declaring the conflict with the Iranian regime was “nearing completion”.
But washing his hands of the economic carnage caused by the war, he said post countries that rely on the Strait of Hormuz should buy American oil or “build up some delayed courage”. He said: “So to those countries that can’t get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran — we had to do it ourselves — I have a suggestion.
“No. 1, buy oil from the United States of America. We have plenty. We have so much. And No. 2, build up some delayed courage. Should have done it before. Should have done it with us as we asked. Go to the straight and just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves. Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is done, so it should be easy.”
After chairing the video call with representatives from more than 40 countries on Thursday, Ms Cooper added: “We’ve taken a different view from the US from early on and we didn’t get drawn into offensive action in the Middle East, because we thought that there were real concerns about escalation risks, impact – including on the economy – and also the need for a proper plan.”
She said co-ordinated action was needed as Iran’s “reckless strikes” on international shipping and efforts to “hijack the global economy” were hitting nations “from across the globe who played no part in this conflict”. She said: “That’s affecting petrol prices and mortgage rates here in the UK, but also jet fuel across the world, fertiliser to Africa, and also gas to Asia.
“So countries across the world being impacted, and that’s why we’re so determined to see every possible diplomatic, economic and co-ordinated measure to get the strait reopened.”
The Foreign Secretary also said military planners from the countries will soon hold separate talks to examine how to de-mine the Strait of Hormuz. She said: “Alongside today’s discussions, we are also convening military planners to look at how we marshal our collective defensive military capabilities, including looking at issues such as de-mining or reassurance once the conflict eases.”
Speaking on Thursday, the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also urged the Prime Minister to “step up” with plans to reopen the oil and gas shipping route. He told a press conference: “The Prime Minister needs to show an alternative. But, you know, I was listening to Donald Trump last night, and I actually agree with him on one thing. He’s incapable, he’s not smart enough to bring this to an end. And we’ve got to see an end to the fighting.
“He’s shown that he can’t, is not smart enough to deal with the Straits of Hormuz challenge, which will remain according to the President. And that’s where the Prime Minister needs to step up. We’ve had some good first steps.
“We’re going to need an international coalition from Europe, from the G7, from the Gulf countries, and others, to do the diplomatic heavy lifting that the president is incapable of doing. And if we can get the Straits of Hormuz open, that will be the biggest benefit to British people, not just in petrol and diesel, but energy bills.”
