The U.K. government said it will not participate in Trump’s planned U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, even as discussions continue with other countries about maintaining freedom of navigation. The stance adds another diplomatic friction point between the U.S. and the U.K. amid the broader Iran conflict. The U.K. said it continues to call for freedom of navigation and opening of the strait. It also discussed potential technical approaches such as autonomous mine-hunting drones in coordination with allies, though those efforts are distinct from a full blockade. The decision matters for higher education only insofar as it deepens the uncertainty around global energy corridors that shape cost pressures and risk management assumptions across supply chains used by universities worldwide.