Almost three dozen countries will meet Thursday in an effort to exert diplomatic and political pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that has been choked off by the US-Israeli war against Iran.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the virtual meeting chaired by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper “will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and to resume the movement of vital commodities”.Iranian attacks on commercial ships, and the threat of more, have halted nearly all traffic in the waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the globe’s oceans, shutting a critical path for the world’s flow of oil and sending petroleum prices soaring.The US is not among the countries attending Thursday’s meeting. Trump has said securing the waterway is not America’s job, and told US allies to “go get your own oil”.No country appears willing to try and open the strait by force while fighting rages and Iran can target vessels with anti-ship missiles, drones, attack craft and mines. But Starmer said Wednesday that military planners from an unspecified number of countries will meet soon to work on how to ensure security for shipping “after the fighting has stopped”.In the meantime, 35 countries including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates have signed a statement demanding Iran stop its attempts to block the strait and pledging to “contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage” through the waterway.Starmer said resuming shipping “will not be easy,” and will require “a united front of military strength and diplomatic activity” alongside partnership with the maritime industry. — with AgenciesIt’s unclear where diplomatic efforts standApril 2, 2026 10:30 amThe US has presented Iran with a 15-point plan aimed at bringing about a ceasefire, including a demand for the strait to be reopened and for its nuclear program to be rolled back. Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful. And in a report last week by Iranian state TV’s English-language broadcaster, an anonymous official was quoted as saying Iran had its own demands to end the fighting, including retaining sovereignty over the strait. In the interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi acknowledged receiving direct messages from US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. He insisted, however, that there were no direct negotiations and said Iran has no faith that talks with the US could yield any results, saying “the trust level is at zero.”Humanitarian aid trapped in Strait of Hormuz chokehold, global agency head warnsApril 2, 2026 10:27 amPresident of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband made these remarks during an online briefing with journalists after visiting Syria and war-torn Lebanon. Over USD 100,000 worth of IRC humanitarian aid for lifesaving initiatives is trapped in its hub in Dubai. Iran has been cementing its chokehold the Strait of Hormuz in the ongoing war with the United States and Israel, the world’s most important artery for oil shipments. “Thirty percent of the world’s fertilizer goes through there,” said Miliband, fearing a food security crisis in many vulnerable countries where the organisation works. “We are advocating that all the goods in that hub be given safe passage immediately.”Iran has launched its first missile barrage of the day: Israel militaryApril 2, 2026 10:17 amEarly Thursday, Israel’s military said Iran had launched missiles at the country, the first of the day. Sirens sounded the alert in Tel Aviv, central Israel and parts of the occupied West Bank.