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Key Points
- Foreign Minister Penny Wong has spoken with US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
- She said the pair discussed the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran during the war in the Middle East.
Australia is determined to prevent further escalation of tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in the Middle East, as expressed by Foreign Minister Penny Wong during her conversation with the US Secretary of State.
On Friday morning, Wong engaged in a dialogue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio concerning the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The discussion centered on Iran’s increasing retaliatory actions following initial military strikes by the US and Israel earlier this year.
The conversation also highlighted the critical importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for approximately 20% of the world’s oil and gas exports located on Iran’s southern border. The disruption of this route is having significant repercussions on the global economy and energy stability.
Wong strongly criticized Iran’s assaults on merchant ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz, incidents which have caused a sharp rise in global oil and fuel prices.
“We concurred that it is imperative for the international community to collaborate in ensuring that essential waterways are not manipulated by the Iranian regime,” she stated in a public release.
“Australia does not want to see the conflict continue to escalate.”
The call follows similar discussions throughout the week with Wong’s counterparts from the European Union, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
She said Iran’s actions, particularly in the Strait, have put pressure on “households, industries and supply chains”.
The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission said petrol and diesel price rises between 20 February and 11 March varied widely between Australian capital cities, but had increased by nearly 50 cents on average.
Australia ‘glaringly absent’ from strait action
Overnight, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands issued a statement stating they were prepared to assist in the region and open up the Strait of Hormuz after persistent Iranian attacks.
“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,” the statement said.
Opposition defence spokesperson James Paterson said Australia was “glaringly absent”, asking the government to explain why it was “missing in action”.
“With petrol and diesel prices at record highs and experts warning of potential shortages of other critical goods like fertilisers and petro-chemicals, Australia’s national interest is clear,” he said.
Amid the criticism that the government is not doing enough, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed to the deployment of an E-7 Wedgetail aircraft, which has long-range reconnaissance capabilities, for the airspace about the Gulf States.
“We want to see the Strait of Hormuz opened,” the prime minister said on Friday.
“We’re offering support, and have support on the ground in the region, including an E-7 aircraft, including the AMRAAMs (missiles) that we’ve supplied to the United Arab Emirates, and we’re working with our allies, including, once again, calling for the Iranian regime to allow freedom of navigation.”
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