Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking alongside a) the Arab League, b) the United Nations and c) other international partners to help protect freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The UK is working closely with regional and international partners, as well as through the UN and International Maritime Organization, to restore safe, secure and unimpeded transit through the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. At the UN General Assembly, the Foreign Secretary joined fellow UN Security Council member Bahrain supported by 80 other countries, to demonstrate broad international support for freedom of navigation and opposition to tolls, conditions, or illegal charges in the Strait. UK Ministers also spoke at UN events on the law of the sea and maritime security to reinforce these principles.

On 23 October, the Foreign Secretary met E3 and regional partners, including Arab League members, in Istanbul to jointly press for de-escalation, safeguard global trade, and encourage the full reopening of the Strait.

I met the Arab League to discuss a range of issues on 18 August in Cairo, and discussed these issues with a range of partners in Manama on the 31 October. I visited the Joint Maritime Security Centre to discuss our work on 8 October.