Trump calls Nato ‘cowards’ over lack of action to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Donald Trump has called Nato allies “cowards” for refusing to offer warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The US president claimed reopening the key oil and gas shipping route would be a “simple” military task with “little risk”.

Mr Trump has repeatedly berated countries including the UK for failing to respond to his request for support in the strait.

UK military planners have joined the US Central Command to look at options for getting tankers through the strait, which has been effectively closed off by the threat of Iranian attacks in retaliation for the US-Israeli bombing campaign.

Defence sources have stressed the situation was so dangerous that not many nations would be willing to put warships “in the middle of that threat right now”.

It is not clear why Mr Trump believes such military action would involve little risk.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said Nato was a “paper tiger” without the US.

He wrote: “They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices.

“So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!”

Meanwhile, Tehran claimed the UK providing its military bases to the US to use is “participation in aggression”.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi delivered the message in a phone call with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who told him that UK operations in the region were in response to Iran’s own strikes on Gulf countries.

She also condemned the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and warned Tehran against targeting UK bases, territory or interests.

In a post in Farsi on Telegram, Mr Araghchi said he told Ms Cooper: “These actions will definitely be considered as participation in aggression and will be recorded in the history of relations between the two countries.

“At the same time, we reserve our inherent right to defend the country’s sovereignty and independence.”

Sir Keir has granted the US permission for “defensive” action against Iranian missile sites from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The Foreign Office said in a readout of the call that Ms Cooper condemned Iran’s “reckless attacks” on Gulf partners and critical energy infrastructure as well as its disruption and closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

She called for freedom of navigation to be restored immediately and reiterated the UK’s call to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations.

“The Foreign Secretary made clear to the foreign minister that the defensive UK operations in the region were a response to the Iranian aggression against Gulf partner countries who had not attacked Iran and she called on Iran to immediately stop these reckless strikes against its neighbours.

“She made clear that the UK wants to see a swift resolution to this conflict.

“The Foreign Secretary also warned Iran against targeting UK bases, territory or interests directly, and restated the UK’s focus on regional stability and security.”

Downing Street had earlier defended the UK’s position, saying it was “not getting drawn into the wider war”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We have authorised the US to use our bases for a specific defensive and limited purpose in response to Iran’s continued and outrageous aggression, and we’ve always said that this is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and restore a path to diplomacy.”

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the Prime Minister had been “very measured” in his approach to the conflict.

“He took the decision, quite rightly, not to involve the United Kingdom in the initial attacks against Iran, but it is quite right that the UK should defend British nationals,” he said.