Australia has formally aligned with a coalition of nations pledging to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit corridor severely disrupted by ongoing hostilities with Iran. The move comes as the strategic waterway faces a de facto closure, threatening international energy supplies.
The commitment was solidified in a joint statement initially issued on March 19 by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada. The document condemns Iran for its attacks on commercial shipping, which have effectively shut down the strait. On Sunday, the coalition expanded to include Australia, New Zealand, Estonia, Romania, Sweden, Norway, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
The statement characterizes the disruptions to international shipping and global energy supply chains as a direct ‘threat to international peace and security’ under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817. It calls for an immediate cessation of attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations. The coalition expressed its ‘readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage’ and endorsed the International Energy Agency’s decision to authorize a coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves. Furthermore, signatories vowed to collaborate with oil-producing nations to increase output and stabilize volatile energy markets, emphasizing that ‘maritime security and freedom of navigation benefit all countries.’
This international response follows sustained pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been urging NATO and other allies to intensify defensive measures in the region. President Trump expressed surprise that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declined to deploy warships, noting, ‘I was a little bit surprised they said no… we always say yes to them.’
Contrary to this expectation, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and Transport Minister Catherine King have consistently stated that while Australia has provided aircraft to assist with defense in the UAE, it has not received a formal request nor is it contemplating a naval deployment to the strait. The geopolitical tensions escalated further with reports of Iran firing missiles toward U.S.-UK military installations on the Chagos Islands, marking the Islamic Republic’s farthest-reaching attack in the three-week-old conflict.