Washington, United States. US President Donald Trump has urged allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz as Iranian forces continue attacks on the waterway, which has been effectively closed for a third week since the US-Israeli war on Iran began. Trump said his administration had contacted seven countries about participating, without naming them.
Trump’s call and the impact on oil supplies
Trump said in an earlier social media post that he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would take part. Iran has effectively shut the strait, disrupting a fifth of global oil supply in what Trump described as the biggest such disruption ever recorded.
Japan weighs options within legal limits
Japan will not dispatch naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday. She said Tokyo was still examining what it could do independently and within its legal framework, and added that she will travel to Washington this week for talks with Trump that will cover the Iran conflict.
Australia rules out sending ships
Australia will not send naval ships to assist in reopening the strait. Cabinet minister Catherine King told state broadcaster ABC that Australia would not be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz, adding that it was not something Australia had been asked to do or was contributing to.
South Korea cites need for review and parliamentary approval
South Korea said it would communicate closely with the United States and make a decision after careful review. Overseas troop deployments require parliamentary approval under South Korea’s constitution, and opposition figures have said any dispatch of warships would need legislative consent.
Britain rejects wider war role while backing reopening efforts
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that Britain would not be drawn into the wider Iran war, while reiterating he was working with allies on a plan to reopen the strait. He said such an effort would not be envisioned as a NATO mission.
European Union to discuss Aspides mission, not focused on Hormuz
The European Union will discuss bolstering its Aspides naval mission in the Middle East at a foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday, though diplomats and officials said the Strait of Hormuz was not expected to be on the agenda. The Aspides mission, established in 2024 and named after the Greek word for shields, was set up to protect ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
Germany rejects military participation
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Germany will not participate militarily in securing the strait. He questioned what a handful of European frigates could do that the US Navy cannot, and said the conflict was not Germany’s war. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he was very sceptical about extending Aspides to the Strait of Hormuz.
Denmark signals openness to considering options
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said it would be wise to keep an open mind, adding that even if Europe did not support the decision to go to war, it must face the world as it is.
How do you think your country should respond to calls to help secure the Strait of Hormuz?
