'Step Up, Do More': Trump Pushes European, Arab Allies To Help Reopen Strait Of Hormuz

Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 18:51 IST

President Trump discussed re-opening the Strait of Hormuz with European, Gulf, and Arab allies. US Press Secretary urged NATO to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.

President Donald Trump on Monday held talks with US’s European, Gulf and Arab allies to discuss re-opening of Strait of Hormuz.

US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “POTUS is speaking with our allies in Europe, and also many of our partners in the Gulf and Arab world to encourage them to step up to do more to open the Strait of Hormuz — and our NATO allies especially need to step up…"

“The United States of America is leading way not just to support and protect our American assets and bases in the Middle East, but also to defend Europe, and the Middle East, and the rest of the world from the rogue Iranian regime obtaining a nuclear bomb," she added.

Check Latest Updates On Iran-Israel War Status Today

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday said the Strait of Hormuz remains shut only to “enemies and those supporting their aggression".

Araghchi told a semi-official Students News Network that Iran has not requested a ceasefire and will ensure that any end of the war with Israel and the US is definitive.

The Times of Israel quoted a foreign ministry spokesperson saying that states not party to the war have been able to transit their vessels through the strait with coordination and permission from Iran’s armed forces.

This comes as several countries refuse to Trump’s request to deploy warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has argued that countries dependent on oil flowing through Hormuz, including the UK, China, South Korea, France and Japan, should shoulder responsibility for securing navigation through the vital waterway.

Among the countries that have declined the request include the UK, Italy, Germany, Japan and Australia.

Also Read: ‘Vital Trade Route’: China’s First Reaction After Trump Seeks Help To Secure Strait Of Hormuz

France24 quoted British Prime ​Minister Keir Starmer saying on Monday that ongoing work to reopen the Strait of Hormuz would not be ​a ‌NATO mission ⁠but would involve a broad alliance including ‌Gulf partners as well as European ⁠countries and the United States.

“We are working with others ​to come up with ‌a credible plan for the Straits of Hormuz to ensure that ‌we can reopen shipping and passage through ​the Strait. Let me be clear, that won’t be and it’s never ​been envisioned to be ​a NATO mission," ​Starmer told reporters.

Also Read: Missiles, Mines & Geography: How Iran’s ‘Asymmetric Plan’ For Hormuz Threatens US Navy | Exclusive

“That will have to be an ​alliance of partners, which is why we’re working with partners, both in Europe, in the ⁠Gulf, and with the US," he added.

Australia ruled out sending vessels, with cabinet minister Catherine King saying Canberra recognises the strait’s importance but has not been asked to contribute and has no plans to do so.

Japan has also stopped short of any commitment, with senior lawmaker Sanae Takaichi saying Tokyo is “not considering" maritime security operations for now and is still reviewing its options within the bounds of domestic law.

Tensions around the strait have intensified since early March, when Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Ebrahim Jabari warned that Hormuz could be closed in response to US and Israeli military action against Iran.

News world 'Step Up, Do More': Trump Pushes European, Arab Allies To Help Reopen Strait Of Hormuz

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