Australia has attended a virtual meeting hosted by the UK overnight with more than 40 ministers from around the world to discuss diplomatic solutions to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Following the meeting Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Iran was deliberately inflicting “economic pain” by closing the strait and carrying out attacks on commercial vessels.
“Australia joined partners in condemning the Iranian regime’s weaponisation of the Strait of Hormuz,” she said.
“Ministers urged Iran to act in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which reaffirmed that the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law, must be respected, particularly around critical maritime routes.”
Wong said the focus of the meeting was to discuss “diplomatic and civilian” actions affected countries could do to make the Strait of Hormuz accessible once again.
“Ministers agreed on the importance of continued coordination and collective action,” she said.
“The Australian government continues to support de-escalation and the resolution of this conflict.”
“The longer this war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be.”
UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Iran’s “recklessness” in blockading the strait was “hitting our global economic security” as she chaired the virtual meeting, which also included France, Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and India.
“We have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage,” Cooper said in opening remarks broadcast to the media before the rest of the meeting took place behind closed doors.
The United States did not attend the talks.
The discussions took place after Trump said on Wednesday evening that the strait could open “naturally” and it was the responsibility of countries that rely on the waterway to ensure it was open.
Another meeting will take place next week with military personnel for further discussions.