The White House has issued a stark warning against any hasty negotiations with Tehran, as tensions mount in the Strait of Hormuz. Sources confirm that President Donald Trump conveyed to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer that the diplomatic process with Iran must proceed without artificial deadlines. The call, described by insiders as firm but not confrontational, came hours after Britain urged restrained diplomacy amid fears of a miscalculation in the strategic waterway.
Uncovered internal memos from the Foreign Office reveal that British diplomats are increasingly anxious about the risk of a naval incident. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has become a flashpoint following a series of tit-for-tat seizures of tankers by Iran and Western navies. One senior British official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: 'We are walking a tightrope. One wrong move and the whole region could go up in smoke.'
The president’s caution reflects a deep-seated scepticism within his administration about the utility of talks with Iran. A former State Department official, now advising the Trump campaign, told me: 'Every time we sit down with these people, they play for time while their centrifuges spin. The president knows this.' The official added that Trump’s instinct is to maintain maximum pressure, not to reward Tehran with the legitimacy of a negotiation timeline.
Starmer, keen to avoid a repeat of the 2019 tanker crisis that disrupted supply chains, has publicly called for a de-escalation. But his hands are tied by the UK’s reliance on U.S. naval protection in the Gulf. 'London cannot afford to alienate Washington,' a Defence Ministry analyst said. 'Without the Fifth Fleet, British shipping would be at the mercy of Iranian fast boats.'
The warning comes as Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, signals openness to dialogue. However, hardliners in Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard have made clear they view any talks as a sign of weakness. For them, the Strait is not just a strategic asset but a bargaining chip.
Documents obtained by this journalist show that Iran’s oil exports have quietly rebounded to 1.5 million barrels per day, up from a low of 300,000 during Trump’s previous term. That recovery has been fuelled by clandestine ship-to-ship transfers and Chinese buyers. 'The sanctions regime has more holes than a sieve,' a Treasury investigator admitted.
Downing Street insists it remains aligned with Washington but wants to avoid a repeat of the 2018 debacle when Trump unilaterally abandoned the nuclear deal. 'We learned that lesson the hard way,' a Foreign Office source said. 'Unilateralism created a vacuum that Russia and China exploited.'
The risk now is a spiral. A minor collision in the Strait could escalate rapidly, drawing in the U.S. Navy and triggering a broader conflict. 'Both sides are playing with fire,' a Gulf-based security consultant warned. 'The British are right to urge caution, but caution doesn’t put food on the table in Tehran or pay for Trump’s re-election.'
As the diplomatic dance continues, one thing is clear: the clock is ticking, but no one wants to be the one to rush.
