Australia Refuses To Send Warship To Strait Of Hormuz Despite Trump Request

Australia will not send a warship to the Middle East to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping, the country’s Transport Minister, Catherine King, confirmed Monday.

The Minister told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that she was not aware of Australia receiving a request from the United States to deploy naval forces.

“We won’t be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz. We know how incredibly important that is, but that’s not something that we’ve been asked or that we’re contributing to,” King said.

Naija News reported Saturday that United States President Donald Trump called on about seven countries, including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK, to send warships to help secure the strait alongside American forces.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that many countries affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Strait of Hormuz will be sending warships to work with the United States to keep the passage open and safe.

Meanwhile, reports on Monday suggest that the European Union is considering two types of naval missions to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc could expand its Red Sea naval mission into the Persian Gulf or form a “coalition of the willing” with member nations contributing military capacity.

Australia Provides Defensive Support To UAE

Australia announced last week it was providing the United Arab Emirates with an air force surveillance jet and air-to-air missiles to defend against Iranian attacks.

However, a government statement made clear that Australia was “not taking offensive action against Iran.”

The Australian government’s position contrasts with that of the UK and France, which have both indicated support for international efforts to secure the strategic waterway, though both nations emphasised the need for careful planning before deployment.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Saturday that Tehran had only blocked the passage to vessels with ties to the United States and Israel, denying claims of a full closure of the strait.

The Strait of Hormuz serves as one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes for oil. Iran has effectively halted oil passage through the waterway, sparking a global energy crisis that has driven up energy and fertiliser prices worldwide.