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US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Australia will not send ships to ensure safe navigation in Hormuz Strait — minister

Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King said that Australia would provide aircraft to the UAE for defense

© Toby Melville - Pool/ Getty Images

SYDNEY, March 16. /TASS/. Australia will not send ships to ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King said.

In an interview with ABC News, she pointed out that Australia would provide aircraft to the UAE "to assist with defense." "But we won't be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz," King pointed out.

"That's not something that we've been asked or that we're contributing to. It's something we're not contributing to," the official added.

US President Donald Trump said earlier that the countries that received oil through the Strait of Hormuz should take part in ensuring the safety of navigation there. In this regard, he mentioned the UK, China, South Korea, France, and Japan.

On March 2, Major General Ebrahim Jabari of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil exports passes, would be closed to shipping due to Israeli and US military action against Iran. On March 5, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the strait was not closed but ships and tankers were not attempting to cross it for fear of attacks from both sides.

Middle East conflict

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