EDITORIAL: Australia cannot just sit and watch Strait of Hormuz stalemate

As the fragile ceasefire in the Iran war hangs by a thread, let’s remember some important points.

Iran has been a major sponsor of terrorism through groups in the region such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Iranian proxy Hamas carried out the murderous attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and kidnapped survivors.

Iran’s tentacles have also reached Australia. In August Australian intelligence agencies presented the Government with evidence that Iran was behind arson attacks including on the Adass Synagogue in Melbourne, leading Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to expel Iran’s ambassador and move to list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

Mr Albanese’s reaction when the United States and Israel launched the strike on Iran was supportive.

“The threat to international peace and security of the Iranian regime is real,” Mr Albanese said. “The fact that they orchestrated attacks here in Australia on the other side of the world underlines the threat that this regime presented to the rule of law and to international norms of behaviour.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong also offered support. “For decades we know the Iranian regime has been a destabilising force through its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, support for armed proxies, and brutal acts of violence and intimidation,” she said. “Australia supports action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

That was all very clear. It is now also clear the mission has not gone how US President Donald Trump hoped, despite his boasts to the contrary.

Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and a fifth of its liquefied natural gas is carried is causing global economic pain.

In response the US announced on Monday that maritime traffic heading to and from Iranian ports through the Strait would be stopped but vessels transiting the Strait “to and from non-Iranian ports” would be allowed to pass.

Mr Albanese said the US had not asked Australia to help. But there is no operational reason Australia cannot lend a hand. Newly announced Chief of Defence Mark Hammond confirmed that the Royal Australian Navy was capable of deploying a warship to assist US-led efforts to reopen the Strait.

Earlier this month Senator Wong said Australia was part of a 40-member international coalition planning “diplomatic and civilian initiatives” to get oil flowing again. Little has been heard of it since.

Mr Trump’s rhetoric at times has been alarming and his verbal attacks on Western allies — including Australia — for what he says is a lack of support in the war, show little respect.

But we can’t pretend this is just between the US and Iran and that we can watch on from a distance.

The West needs to get over any sense of wounded pride. These are not parlour games.

We don’t want to commit to war. But we need to get on the front foot with the US to work out how we can help move beyond this.

Responsibility for the editorial comment is taken by Editor-in-Chief Christopher Dore.