\u201cThe idea that that inquiry about a position two months ago affects the strain that Kiwis are suffering now, which is very real, they\u2019re two completely unrelated things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour (right) doesn\u2019t believe the Iran war email saga will be damaging to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo \/ Mark Mitchell<\/p>\n
Seymour repeated yesterday\u2019s assertion the saga was a storm in a teacup.<\/p>\n
What mattered was that this week the Government had secured another 90 million litres of diesel, good diplomatic ties were being maintained with the likes of Singapore, Korea and Japan where New Zealand\u2019s refined fuel was coming from, and those most affected were getting financial support, he said.<\/p>\n
Seymour told Bridge he did not support the war in Iran. <\/p>\n
\u201cEven the people that started it and the people engaged in it are trying to find an offramp.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seymour also confirmed the US embassy in New Zealand had been asked by the Trump administration to press our Government to join a new US-led coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
The Wall Street Journal reported an internal State Department cable was sent to US embassies on Tuesday this week, calling on US diplomats to pressure foreign governments to join an effort to allow ships to traverse the strait, which has been effectively closed for two months.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been a very brief discussion, like literally a couple of minutes at the end of a meeting, \u2018Hey guys, this just came in\u2019,\u201d he told Bridge.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut in terms of a serious discussion at Cabinet or anything like that\u2019s still a way off, if it happens at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was no outline of what such a coalition would look like, Seymour said.<\/p>\n
Asked for his feelings on such an alliance, Seymour said it was in New Zealand\u2019s interest to have freedom of navigation but the question was how best to achieve that.<\/p>\n
Former Speaker on TVNZ Parliament ban<\/p>\n