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Australia has begun discussions with the United States over its latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirming the country's involvement in diplomatic talks. The confirmation comes as the Trump administration seeks to build an international coalition — dubbed the Maritime Freedom Construct — to restore freedom of navigation in the critical waterway, which has been closed or heavily restricted since the start of the US-Israel assault in February.

Coverage comparison

The reports from ABC Australia, The Guardian, and TASS paint a consistent picture of Australia's engagement with the US proposal, though they differ in emphasis. ABC Australia, citing a US State Department cable reported by Reuters, says the Trump administration is seeking participation from other countries in the Maritime Freedom Construct, which is described as a joint initiative by the State Department and the Pentagon. The report notes the construct is "distinct from the President's Maximum Pressure campaign" and from ongoing US-Iran negotiations.

The Guardian's coverage focuses on Australia's concrete contribution: the deployment of an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to the United Arab Emirates, which will join an international mission to reopen the strait. The Guardian reports that Defence Minister Richard Marles joined a meeting of defence ministers from 40 countries, where the decision to back "collective diplomatic, economic and military capabilities" was made.

TASS, citing The Wall Street Journal, reports that the US administration has proposed a new international coalition to ensure freedom of navigation, with the State Department sending information about the initiative to US embassies and asking diplomats to persuade foreign governments to join. TASS notes that the coalition is not expected to be military in nature, though the cable offers countries the opportunity to become "diplomatic and/or military partners."

Key claims

  • Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Australia's involvement in discussions with the US about the proposal, saying: "We are working with all of our partners, the United Kingdom, France and the United States. We are engaging on options, noting that we have already provided defensive and diplomatic support to the region." (ABC Australia)
  • The US proposal, called the Maritime Freedom Construct, aims to open the strait in a "post-conflict" scenario, with participation potentially taking the form of diplomacy, information sharing, sanctions enforcement, or naval presence. (ABC Australia)
  • Australia will send a hi-tech military plane — the E-7A Wedgetail — to join the international mission, with Defence Minister Richard Marles stating that "Australia stands ready to support an independent and strictly defensive multinational military mission, led by the United Kingdom and France." (The Guardian)
  • The Wedgetail, accompanied by approximately 85 defence force staff, was deployed to the UAE in March and has been feeding information to the Combined Air Operations Centre in Qatar, with officials maintaining it is not assisting US offensive capabilities. (The Guardian)
  • The Labor government has not ruled out sending more assets to the Middle East, with Marles telling parliament Australia would continue speaking with the UK and France about other contributions. (The Guardian)
  • The US State Department sent information about the new maritime initiative to US embassies, asking diplomats to persuade foreign governments to join, with the coalition tasked to help share information, coordinate diplomatic efforts, and ensure compliance with sanctions. (TASS, citing The Wall Street Journal)