Foreign Minister Penny Wong has emphasised the need for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, but stopped short of committing Australia to joining US President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom”.
“There are certainly many ships which are trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, and … I have spoken before about the need to open the strait, both for the energy markets and also to get those ships through and those seafarers out safely,” Wong told Seven’s Sunrise.
“We’ve been engaging with the US, with the UK, with France on efforts to reopen the strait. We will continue to engage with them. What we do want, however, is Iran to cut a deal, make sure they get a negotiated outcome that opens the strait and is to the satisfaction of the United States and the rest of the world.”
Trump said earlier today that “Project Freedom” would help stranded ships leave the Strait of Hormuz, and would free people, companies and countries that are “victims of circumstance”. He also said US representatives were having discussions with Iran that could lead to something “very positive for all”.
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