Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has said Iran cannot “hijack” the Strait of Hormuz by imposing shipping tolls, arguing that the laws of the sea prevent Tehran from charging for passage through what she described as an international transit route.
Her comments came as Keir Starmer continued his Gulf visit. The foreign secretary was speaking in interviews on Thursday morning, when she also addressed questions about Russia’s shadow fleet and the wider security threat facing the UK and Europe.
Questions over Russian shadow fleet
Cooper declined to confirm reports that a Russian warship has been escorting two sanctioned Russian ships through the English Channel. The vessels are understood to be part of the Russian shadow fleet, which is used to carry oil sold to help fund the war in Ukraine.
The UK government recently announced that the armed forces have been authorised to board these ships in British waters in order to stop them. Asked about the policy, Cooper said operational decisions would then have to be taken by the military in the appropriate way.
She said: “What I can tell you is that we have given permission now for action to be taken against the Russian shadow fleet. Operational decisions then have to be taken in the right way by the military.”
She added that there were signs not only of how the Russian shadow fleet is operating, but also of a broader pattern of Russian threats.
“There are indications of the way in which not just the Russian shadow fleet is operating, but also the way in which we are seeing increased Russian threats, not just to the UK, but across Europe as well,” she said.
Pressure on international shipping routes
Cooper’s remarks about Iran focused on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime route for global trade and energy supplies. She said the legal framework governing the sea would stop Tehran from unilaterally charging vessels to pass through the waterway.
The comments were part of a broader set of interviews in which the foreign secretary was asked about regional security, maritime trade and the continuing impact of Russian sanctions evasion.
The issue of shipping security has become increasingly prominent as governments in Europe and elsewhere look for ways to restrict the movement of sanctioned vessels and limit revenue flows linked to Russia’s war effort.
Cooper’s message on Thursday was that both the threat from the Russian shadow fleet and any attempt to interfere with international sea routes would face legal and operational constraints.
Her intervention added to the diplomatic and security backdrop of Starmer’s visit to the Gulf, where international shipping, regional stability and energy security remain central concerns.
