![\"Britain's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JQRTEK_AFP__20260402__A6K29MN__v1__HighRes__BritainIranIsraelUsWar_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nBy Andrew MacAskill, John Irish and Muvija M, Reuters<\/p>\n
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\nBritain’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper (C) hosts a virtual summit at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London.
\nPhoto: LEON NEAL \/ POOL \/ AFP\n<\/p>\n
About 40 countries are discussing joint action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> to stop Iran holding “the global economy hostage,” Britain said, after US President Donald Trump said securing the waterway was for others to resolve.<\/p>\n British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Iran’s “recklessness” in blockading the waterway was “hitting our global economic security” as she chaired the virtual meeting, which included France, Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and India.<\/p>\n “We have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage,” Cooper said in opening remarks broadcast to the media before the rest of the meeting took place behind closed doors.<\/p>\n The United States did not attend the talks, one official said. The discussions, involving representatives of some 40 countries<\/a>, took place after Trump said on Wednesday evening (all times local) that the Strait could open “naturally”<\/a> and it was the responsibility of countries that rely on the waterway to ensure it was open.<\/p>\n NZ in attendance<\/p>\n In an earlier statement, Foreign Minister Winston Peters confirmed New Zealand would be attending the meeting.<\/p>\n “New Zealand’s participation in this initiative is in line with our long-standing commitment to freedom of navigation and the free movement of vital commodities,” Peters said.<\/p>\n “This will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Given the time of the meeting (midnight Thursday in New Zealand) and Peters’ travel schedule, the High Commissioner in London Hamish Cooper attended on the minister’s behalf.<\/p>\n Focus on diplomatic and military options<\/p>\n Iran has effectively shut down the key waterway, which carries about a fifth of the world’s total oil consumption, in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes which began in late February. Reopening it has become a priority for governments around the world as energy prices soar.<\/p>\n