Summary

Australia to join 40 countries in talks to potentially deploy defensive naval coalition to Strait of Hormuz Australia will join 40 countries in international talks to mull over taking a major step to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. Australia will take part in discussions about a potential defensive naval mission to the Strait of Hormuz alongside 40 other nations, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy says. The Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by Tehran after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. This closure has triggered global energy shocks by causing disruption to crude oil shipments from the Middle East, the world’s largest oil-producing region. This week’s talks will be hosted by the United Kingdom and France, after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held the first round of discussions in early April. In a statement released overnight, French President Emmanuel Macron described the potential mission as a “peaceful multinational” effort aimed at “restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait”. “This strictly defensive mission, separate from the warring parties to the conflict, is intended to be deployed as soon as circumstances permit,” he wrote on social media. On Tuesday, Mr Conroy confirmed Australia would take part in the international conference. “We’ve been part of the diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. We welcome the announcement of the summit by the UK and French governments,” Mr Conroy told the ABC. “And Australia will most definitely participate in that summit, we are very keen to see an opening by diplomatic means, on the Strait of Hormuz.” He reiterated Australia’s calls for de-escalation and said the federal government wanted to see the current two-week ceasefire continue. “We’d like to see Iran and United States return to the negotiating table, and a permanent peace achieved, with the Strait of Hormuz open, so that traffic flows through” he said. “We think the US has achieved its war aims, and we should continue to encourage a diplomatic opening of the Strait of Hormuz.” Overnight, Donald Trump confirmed a US military blockade of the waterways had taken effect. It follows failed peace talks mediated by Islamabad over the weekend. More to come.