Australia rules out sending naval ships to Strait of Hormuz
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The US and Iran have signalled no let-up in a conflict that has brought shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz to a near standstill.
PHOTO: REUTERS
CANBERRA – Australia has ruled out deploying naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz as the US seeks allied support to protect one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes amid the widening Middle East conflict.
“I’m informed that we’re not intending to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz,” Ms Catherine King, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and a member of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Cabinet, told Australian Broadcasting radio on March 16.
She added: “We’re well prepared here in this country to weather the economic crisis that is occurring as a result of the Middle East, but we’re not planning to send a ship.”
The US and Iran have signalled no let-up in a conflict that has brought shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz – a narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula that carries about a fifth of global oil supplies – to a near standstill and upended energy markets.
US President Donald Trump has urged other countries to send warships to keep open the key artery but offered no specifics or commitments from the US side.
Mr Trump said he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain would take part.
Earlier, assistant minister Matt Thistlethwaite told Sky News that Australia’s involvement in the escalating war in Iran will be limited to providing defensive support for partners in the Persian Gulf.
The centre-left Labor government’s decision so far has been to assist the United Arab Emirates (UAE) fend off Iranian attacks, particularly because a large number of Australians live and work there, Mr Thistlethwaite said.
“Obviously we’re continuing to monitor the situation,” he said. “Australia is not directly involved in this conflict, but we’ll do all we can to keep Australians in the region as safe as possible.”
“That’s the extent of our involvement at the moment,” he added.
Last week, Australia said it would deploy a surveillance aircraft, personnel and missiles to the UAE to provide defensive support while ruling out offensive action. BLOOMBERG
