Six Nations Demand Iran Reopen Strait of Hormuz as US Approves $16bn Arms Sale

Six nations issued a joint declaration in London calling on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States approved weapons sales worth more than $16 billion to Gulf states affected by the ongoing conflict with Iran. The statement, signed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan, condemned Iranian attacks and demanded a halt to actions blocking one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, according to Reuters. The declaration came on the same day that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stark warning to any country considering alignment with Washington. The United States arms approval added a further dimension to a rapidly evolving diplomatic and military crisis in the Gulf region.

Tajani draws a firm line: politics, not troops Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani moved quickly to define the limits of Rome's commitment, stating that the London declaration carries exclusively political weight. „The London declaration is only political in nature, not military” (The London declaration is only political in nature, not military) — Antonio Tajani via ANSA Tajani's clarification reflected a broader tension among the six signatories between the desire to project diplomatic solidarity and the reluctance to be drawn into direct military involvement in the conflict. Italy's participation in the declaration nonetheless marked a notable step for a government that has sought to balance its Atlantic commitments with its historically close commercial ties to the Gulf and the broader Middle East. The statement from the six nations condemned Iranian attacks and called on Tehran to halt its actions, but stopped short of committing any signatory to a military role in enforcing freedom of navigation, according to ANSA reporting on the London announcement.

Iran warns allies of the US: you will be accomplices Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to the London declaration with a direct threat aimed at any government considering support for the United States. „Whoever helps the USA will be an accomplice” — Abbas Araghchi via ANSA The warning underscored Tehran's strategy of deterring third-party involvement by raising the diplomatic and potentially military cost of alignment with Washington. The Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has de facto closed, carries an enormous share of global energy trade, and its continued blockage has sent shockwaves through international shipping and energy markets. The International Maritime Organization separately called for a safe corridor to be established in the strait, according to ANSA. The convergence of the IMO request, the six-nation declaration, and the US arms approval illustrated the scale of international concern over the waterway's closure. 16 (billion USD) — US weapons sales approved for Gulf states hit by Iran

Guterres urges all sides to step back from the brink United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a dual appeal, calling on the United States and Israel to stop the war while simultaneously urging Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. „The United States and Israel stop the war, Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz” — António Guterres via ANSA Guterres's appeal placed equal pressure on both sides of the conflict, framing the strait's reopening and a cessation of hostilities as interconnected objectives rather than sequential demands. European Union leaders also convened with Guterres to discuss ways to improve the situation in the Middle East, according to ANSA, signaling that the bloc was seeking a coordinated diplomatic posture alongside the UN. The US-Israel military operation against Iran, designated Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026, and resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the initial strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. The conflict has prompted a de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, triggering an international response from shipping bodies, Western governments, and the United Nations. The web search results from Reuters indicate that Iran intensified attacks on oil and natural gas facilities around the Gulf, raising the stakes further in a conflict already reshaping energy markets and regional security alignments. The US arms package, approved for Gulf states directly affected by Iranian strikes, represented Washington's most concrete material commitment to its regional partners since the conflict began, according to ANSA.