US, UK discuss maritime security in Strait of Hormuz, resolving Russia-Ukraine war

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband held talks Monday on maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, coordination over Iranian actions and efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war.

Rubio and Miliband "reiterated their shared commitment to safeguarding transit in the Strait of Hormuz and the importance of holding Iran to account for its actions and of continued collaboration to secure US assets in the United Kingdom," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

The conversation followed accusations by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said Monday that an alleged plot targeting RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire used by the US Air Force, was "almost certainly" directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an allegation Tehran rejects.

Meanwhile, 29 countries, including the US and UK, also issued a joint condemnation Monday of what they described as Iranian operations against allied territory, endorsing Britain's assessment of the air base incident.

Rubio also underscored the broader strategic alliance between Washington and London, highlighting cooperation to "stabilize global energy markets while also bringing the Russia-Ukraine conflict to an end through a negotiated settlement."

The diplomatic exchange came as control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that normally carries more than one-fifth of global petroleum shipments, remains a central flashpoint in the ongoing conflict with Iran. It also followed an announcement by US President Donald Trump of a deal allowing Russian diesel exports to the US and global markets.