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UK’s Cooper Urges Full Resumption of Shipping Through Hormuz Strait
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 18, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 18, 2026
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UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urged Iran to allow full resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that despite a ceasefire, normal maritime traffic has not yet returned.
UK’s Cooper urges full resumption of shipping through Strait of Hormuz
By Tuvan Gumrukcu
Diplomatic Efforts and Shipping Challenges in the Strait of Hormuz
ANTALYA, April 18 (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Saturday the Strait of Hormuz had yet to return to normal operations despite a ceasefire in the Iran war, urging Tehran to allow global shipping to fully resume.
Current Status of the Strait of Hormuz
"We are at a critical diplomatic moment with a ceasefire now in place ... but we don't yet have normal passage through the strait," Cooper told Reuters on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum in Antalya.
Recent Shipping Movements
A convoy of tankers was crossing the strait on Saturday, the first major movement of ships in the crucial waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28.
Iran’s Position and Restrictions
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Saturday that Tehran had agreed to "the managed passage of a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz". It added that the strait will remain under strict Iranian control if the U.S. does not ensure full freedom of navigation for vessels travelling from and to Iran.
International Response and Economic Impact
Urgency for Global Economy
Cooper said the U.S.-Iran truce needed to develop into a lasting peace, adding that restoring shipping through the waterway was urgent for the global economy.
"We need the Strait of Hormuz open ... because this helps all of our economies right across the world that are currently being held hostage," she said.
Support for Freedom of Navigation
International Backing and Maritime Support
Cooper said more than 50 countries had backed efforts to support freedom of navigation, with over a dozen prepared to provide maritime support, including demining and reassurance for shipping, once the conflict ends.
Challenges Ahead for Lasting Peace
She said there was still “considerable work to do” to turn the ceasefire into an enduring settlement and urged all sides to uphold the truce.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Jonathan Spicer, Louise Heavens and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Key Takeaways
- •Despite the ceasefire, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains significantly disrupted, posing ongoing risks to global energy flows and trade.
- •The Strait normally handles about 20% of global oil and LNG shipments, and its partial closure has already triggered steep oil price surges and economic strain worldwide.
- •Restoring full passage through the strait is critical for stabilizing energy markets, global supply chains and economic recovery, especially amid fragile geopolitical conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK’s Cooper urges full resumption of shipping through Hormuz Strait
1Who is calling for the full resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz?
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is urging the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
2What is the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz despite the ceasefire?
Normal operations have not yet resumed in the Strait of Hormuz despite a ceasefire in the Iran war.
3Why is resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz important?
Restoring shipping is urgent for the global economy according to Yvette Cooper.
4Where did Yvette Cooper make her statement about the Strait of Hormuz?
She made the statement at a diplomacy forum in Antalya, Turkey.
5What does Yvette Cooper say about the ceasefire in Iran?
Cooper emphasized that the truce should develop into a lasting peace.
