European allies refuse US request to help open Strait of Hormuz

European allies refuse US request to help open Strait of Hormuz Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 03/16/2026 - 13:18 UK, Germany, Spain and France among those unwilling to send navy to re-open crucial waterway Smoke rises from the Thai bulk carrier 'Mayuree Naree' near the Strait of Hormuz after an attack, on 11 March 2026 (Handout/Royal Thai Navy/AFP) Off European allies have pushed back on a US request to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz, with Germany stating outright that the conflict with Iran was "not Nato's war". Iran moved to close the strait last week in response to Israel and US attacks on the country, blocking a passage where more than 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supply moves through. Despite a call from US President Donald Trump over the weekend for allied assistance, there has been widespread reluctance to get involved in the war.