US-Israel-Iran war: Australia joins 21 nations to express ‘readiness to contribute’ to open Strait of Hormuz

Australia has joined 21 other countries in signing a joint commitment to safeguard oil tanker transit through the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israel-Iran war.

The joint statement, which condemns Iran’s retaliatory attacks on vessels, was released last week but was updated on Sunday with a string of new signatories, including Australia, Estonia, Romania, Sweden and Norway, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

The coalition of nations has expressed “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts”, however, the Australian government has not revealed what, if any, assets it will deploy to the critical trade waterway.

Since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, Anthony Albanese’s government has remained firm that it won’t engage in a war offensive. It has sent “purely defensive” support to the Middle East to help defend Gulf nations.

“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” the republished statement, released by UAE’s foreign ministry, stated on Sunday.

“We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.”

It declared that nations had the ability to respond consistent with UNSC Resolution 2817, insisting that Iran’s strikes had disrupted the global energy supply which was a “threat to international peace and security”.

“In this regard, we call for an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations,” it stated.

When asked on Sunday what assets Australia would commit as part of its a contribution to the joint push, Defence Minister Richard Marles’ office only reiterated his confirmation that it would “work with our friends and partners in accordance with that statement”.

A spokeswoman pointed to his previous statements that the United States hadn’t made requests to Australia for navy support.

“In respect of the Straits of Hormuz, we do not have a request from the United States in respect of that,” he had said.

“As you are aware, there is a British‑led statement which Australia has signed. We will very much want to see the Straits of Hormuz opened and we will work with our friends and partners in accordance with that statement.”

Australia has stationed an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to the region as well as an undisclosed quantity of advanced medium range missiles in a “purely defensive” capacity.

The UK has reportedly positioned nuclear-powered submarines in the Arabian sea equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles amid the escalating conflict.

HMS Anson was docked in Perth earlier this month but has reportedly travelled about 5500 miles towards the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also condemned the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, last week accusing Iran of weaponising it in retaliation for the US and Israel strikes.

The waterway is critical for more than 20 per cent of the world’s oil and has sparked global concern over energy since the war broke out.

US President Donald Trump has expressed public frustration by its closure on both TruthSocial and in White House press appearances, calling on international partners to help tankers pass safely.

Mr Trump gave Tehran an ultimatum on Sunday, warning the US would “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants “starting with the biggest one first” if it didn’t open the Strait in 48 hours.

However, Iran says that the Strait is already open, just not to the US and its allies and has vowed it will retaliate against all US-linked energy infrastructure in the Middle East.

In 2023 Australia declined a formal request from the Biden administration to send a warship to the Red Sea amid similar attacks on vessels under a US-led multinational coalition.

Labor frontbencher Catherine King had last Monday claimed that Australia would not be deploying a warship to the conflict zone.