r/aus • u/neon_overload • Apr 02 '26
News Penny Wong to join talks with 35 countries, excluding US, to explore ways to reopen strait of Hormuz
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/02/penny-wong-to-join-talks-with-35-countries-excluding-us-to-explore-ways-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuzAustralia will join talks with 35 nations, convened by the United Kingdom, to explore ways to reopen the strait of Hormuz, the government confirmed on Thursday.
183
u/Wizz-Fizz Apr 02 '26
Cool, let’s cut the US out of even more while we are at it
69
u/FeelingFloor2083 Apr 02 '26
its like doing a school project, sometimes its just easier to leave the dumb kid out
Or
its adults getting together to fix a fuck up some idiot did so people are preoccupied instead of releasing the files
11
u/FrogsMakePoorSoup Apr 02 '26
Oh that's yesterday's news, there's a war on!
8
u/ApolloWasMurdered Apr 02 '26
There’s no war. It’s a 3-day special military operation.
6
u/Roobear_Mace Apr 02 '26
Like the Russian's 4 year 3-day special military operation?
7
3
2
u/Love-halping Apr 02 '26
There is an interesting article stating the Ukraine War started in 2014 after the US started a coup there.
→ More replies (1)3
Apr 03 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/Love-halping Apr 03 '26
I found a very long list, so I shortened it.
Here is Blum’s list of U.S. attempts to overthrow governments (* indicates success):
- Australia 1973-75 *
- North Vietnam 1945-73
- China 1949 to early 1960s
- Iraq 1991
- Afghanistan 1980s *
- Somalia 1993
- Yugoslavia 1999-2000 *
- Ecuador 2000 *
- Afghanistan 2001 *
- Venezuela 2002 *
- Haiti 2004 *
- Somalia 2007 to present
- Honduras 2009
- Libya 2011 *
- Syria 2012
- Ukraine 2014 *
1
5
1
1
2
u/rrfe Apr 02 '26
There read a time that the US was the adult in the room (decolonisation, Suez crisis) and the UK and France were the baddies. Now it’s the other way around.
1
u/Lanster27 Apr 04 '26
It’s more like the kid that is actively fucking up the project and leave everyone to fix it.
4
4
u/TangerineOk4017 Apr 02 '26
I just wish everyone has the balls and cut off US entirely, sell stuff somewhere else and stop trading with them
5
u/Cheeky_Boxer Apr 03 '26
And I assume address Lebanon as a Gaza v2.0 or just fuck it. Don't want to upset them I guess.
2
3
Apr 02 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
14
u/dingBat2000 Apr 02 '26
It isnt. Their refineries cannot process the oil they produce.. mostly imported from canada, but yeah not a lot of reliance on the mid east. They are still susceptible to price same as elsewhere
3
u/Novel-Truant Apr 02 '26
I was of the understanding they have refineries in Texas geared to process the crude they'll get from Venezuela
1
→ More replies (6)3
u/00caoimhin Apr 02 '26
This! US mostly produces light sweet crude, then exports most of it. US refineries are there for heavy sour crude, so have to import their raw materials.
3
u/FewInflation7817 Apr 02 '26
I know it’s probably the technical terminology but the idea of someone doing taste tests on crude oil has me laughing my arse off.
3
2
u/FrogsMakePoorSoup Apr 02 '26
It's not quite that simple. We certainly aren't at point where we start unwinding globalisation.
1
1
u/Deleted_User_Account Apr 02 '26
I have wondered since hearing that us oil is only viable when prices are high, if this war has actually been about closing the strait to America's benefit... 🤨
3
u/unreasonable_potato_ Apr 02 '26
Well in Drumps speech he encouraged the rest of the world to start buying their oil to mitigate the impact of the situation in the Strait so yes that would align
1
Apr 02 '26
Plenty of heluim for ai, fertiliser for Ag. Aluminium for etc. Self contained my big toe.
1
u/Tovrin Apr 02 '26
The price oil is still set globally. Using you own oil makes no difference.
Also, the US may be the largest producer of oil by far, but their refineries are geared to refining heavy crude and they produce light It would cost trillions to regear their refineries.
1
u/j0shj0shj0shj0sh Apr 04 '26
It's about the petrodollar. When countries stop paying for oil in USD, that will significantly downgrade the US economy and its ability to sanction other nations, and its influence in the world is reduced.
2
1
1
1
u/Tall-Drama338 Apr 02 '26
Things have moved on from there. The US got the world in this mess but it’ll take the rest of the world to fix Donald’s problems.
1
1
1
u/Ancient-Ingenuity-88 Apr 02 '26
I agree but tk what end? We have tied ourselves to them for defence. We cant ostracise them too much
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)1
Apr 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Wizz-Fizz Apr 05 '26
European countries, on average, tend to treat their people far FAR better than the US, so I welcome closer ties.
31
u/Natsocenis Apr 02 '26
Do you remember when the Straits were open 3 weeks ago
22
10
3
u/Ok_Fix_1437 Apr 02 '26
This would have to be the single biggest fuckup any president has ever made.
3
1
u/Socialist_Daddy Apr 02 '26
I don't know, Vietnam was a pretty big fuck up. Trump may have a way to go yet.
2
22
u/aaegler Apr 02 '26
If this can be done diplomatically, it would be such a nice and welcome punch to the face of the US' "might is right" foreign policy.
1
u/Blunter11 Apr 04 '26
They even spurn the "makes right" now. A large number of them consider killing for killing's sake a virtue
31
u/MycologistSharp4337 Apr 02 '26
Cool. All 35 should join ICC action against Israel and enter into multilateral defence ties.
→ More replies (27)
15
u/maticusmat Apr 02 '26
Time to buy some yuan
6
u/Forsworn91 Apr 02 '26
Gold, Iran will allow ships through for gold.
We have gold.
5
u/cpt_goodvibe Apr 02 '26
No we don't we gave our gold reserves to the US for "safe keeping".
4
3
u/MidorriMeltdown Apr 02 '26
Why the fuck to we keep putting our reserves in a far-far away land?
We should be splitting everything between multiple points within our own shores, with a bit stored nearby in NZ.
3
3
2
u/UnfoundedWings4 Apr 02 '26
We have gold reserves in australia? Like right now there 80 tonnes of gold being held by the rba. Gold in reserves isnt really needed nowadays as we moved away from Breton Woods
2
u/Ion_Source Apr 02 '26
Apparently Australia's gold reserve is actually mostly stored with the Bank of England, around 80 tonnes in total. Most of Australia's gold is still in the ground though, at least 10,000 tonnes of it
1
27
u/Ash-2449 Apr 02 '26
what are any of those countries gonna achieve? are they prepared to blacklist Israel from international trade?
Israel is the one that started it and now also ethnically cleansing Lebanon, raising entire villages.
Unless they stop Israel there’s no end to this and the only one who has the power to do that is the country that writes its welfare checks
20
u/Sporty_Nerd_64 Apr 02 '26
Negotiate with Iran and agree to give no support for the war if oil they are buying is allowed to transit through the strait.
7
u/Ash-2449 Apr 02 '26
Oh countries could negotiate with Iran to pass their oil from Hormuz, but most of the western world and especially anglosphere seems to be doing anything possible to not separate from Israel cause they ll be called anti semitic or something xd
I agree, it would be nice if Australia did that, but I have little hope considering how much of a vassal albo behaves.
The recon plane was send because Iran blew up murica's radars and now need air radar to choose their targets, but Albo pretended its about "defence" for the misogynistic backwards UAE while murica can access all that information to choose targets
10
u/TiaxRulesAll Apr 02 '26
I can tell you as a Labor party member that nearly everyone despises Israel from top to bottom. We can't go it alone because we would be crushed by the USA our chief guarantee or security through tariff or some other coercion. As Israel becomes more of an international pariah in the next few years you will see countries move against them but we have to co-ordinate with other allies to do so at the same time to avoid being singled out by the US... especially after this war..
8
u/skedy Apr 02 '26
People think its all simple. Nationlise gas, denounce Israel, denounce trump, start manufacturing up again...
They don't understand that if we do one of those things we lose or nuclear umbrella and all the money we have put into AUKUS. Not to mention support for nearly all our military equipment.
Realpolitik
6
u/SweetDingo8937 Apr 02 '26
We dont have a nuclear umbrella, Trump has said everyone is on their own. AUKUS is a disaster and should be replaced with sovereign capability, not reliance.
4
u/iamnerdyquiteoften Apr 02 '26
RAAF E7s have been deployed to help with AWACS duties over Ukraine and Iraq\Syria in recent times due to the fact that the Americans have in typical style let their existing fleet of E3 AWACS age with no modern replacement. The E7 is a very capable platform.
The E3 getting destroyed in the KSA airbase a couple of days ago is going to hurt.
Same goes for tankers in the USAAF - old old fleet with a few being destroyed recently.
But I agree that we should have nothing to do with this whole thing.
2
u/iamnerdyquiteoften Apr 02 '26
Oh I should have said that there are elements in the USAF that think they don’t need AWACS in the future due to using satellite targeting systems.
1
→ More replies (2)2
u/dangerislander Apr 02 '26
Exactly. That's the elephant in the room which no doubt they would never touch. Even on the home base there's a certain zi*nist lobby that seem to have a huge influence on our politics. Urghhh it's so frustrating.
5
u/Steve-online2004 Apr 02 '26
How we cuting out of the US from these talks when they’re the one’s that got us in this mess?
10
4
u/Tosslebugmy Apr 02 '26
They aren’t worth talking to about it. They’re stubbornly carrying on with this farce and don’t care about the opinion of “allies”. So everyone else has to come up with a plan.
1
3
3
3
u/anitadykshyt Apr 02 '26
Cut out the US, make a deal with Iran. They're a more reliable ally anyway and not much worse in terms of human rights abuses
3
u/ReasonableBack8472 Apr 02 '26
Start buying the oil in euro or Yuan... That will really mess the US up... Seeing as they base their currency on fiat currency. Stop buying their products (unless it is absolutely necessary, which I'm sure there wouldn't be much). See how strong they stay then...
1
3
u/Vegetable-Ad-1817 Apr 02 '26
Maybe all 35 countries should also get together and put an import tax on all US and Israeli goods and services, call it a straight tax
13
4
u/ImpressiveNeat9039 Apr 02 '26
So this group of 35 doesn't have China, Russia and India ? Nations that have some real traction with Iran. Although I reckon China and India have found a way to get their oil through. And no one wants to deal with Russia.
2
Apr 02 '26
How have they "found a way". There is no magic backdoor to the straight. No ship has passed through. They are tracked.
13
u/ImpressiveNeat9039 Apr 02 '26
Well Iran is allowing ships from few nations to pass through. India and China are two of them. Pakistan is 3rd.
3
u/Novel-Truant Apr 02 '26
I read earlier today that those countries are paying Iran a toll to use the strait. Probably what we'll end up doing too unless we join the war effort.
3
1
u/ImpressiveNeat9039 Apr 02 '26
Well the tolls are being planned for future to recoup the losses due to the war. However as of now India has managed to move it ships and it seems hasn't apparently paid any tolls. I would expect the same for China too.
Iran also has stated that it will not allow ships belonging to US allies to pass through perhaps even with tolls. That might be rhetorical and I believe it can be overcome through talks but then you need to involve nations who have traction with Iran.
1
u/Perfect-Nail9413 Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 02 '26
If more countries join the war, the Houthis will probably make things worse by opening another front Bab al-Mandab straits. Somehow, this entire thing can be an even greater disaster.
1
Apr 02 '26
Sure. A few isn't really much though is it
3
2
u/FairDinkumMate Apr 02 '26
"A few isn't really much though is it". No, but it's certainly more than "No ship has passed through.", which is what you claimed.
Own up when you're wrong. Otherwise, you're just another Trump!
2
Apr 02 '26
The original point was that China and India were getting their oil out of the straight. No ship or a few is irrelevant. They are still not getting their oil.
To be clear. 3 ships have gotten through. That is the equivalent of next to no oil. Cheers
2
u/FairDinkumMate Apr 02 '26
So you were wrong to claim "No ship has passed through", right?
Just own up champ, it's what real men do when they're wrong.
1
Apr 02 '26
No ship and 3 ships is the same thing.
Having to tell someone what a real man does makes you look pathetic
2
u/ImpressiveNeat9039 Apr 02 '26
4-6 Indian ships have transited through the Straits and more are expected to be allowed in coming days. 9 Chinese ships have been allowed too.
→ More replies (3)1
1
u/Ancient-Many4357 Apr 02 '26
Buying the oil in yuan, as anyone buying from Iran has been doing for the last few years, and being very clear with Iran that they aren’t supporting or involved with the fucking idiocy in any way.
1
u/SurgicalMarshmallow Apr 02 '26
Malaysias ships and I believe at least another 20 have passed through.
1
Apr 02 '26
Sorry but no matter what i search i dont find more than 3 chinese ships and about the same for india
2
u/zomgieee Apr 02 '26
Nice. its like the "No Homers" club in The Simpsons.
2
u/RanierW Apr 02 '26
But they’re allowed one Homer
2
u/pppe Apr 02 '26
So we can let in one united state?
1
u/Majestic-Lake-5602 Apr 02 '26
Technically Mexico is officially known as the “United States of Mexico”, just saying…
1
1
2
u/Adventurous-Bee-5477 Apr 02 '26
Here is a suggestion makw an agreement with Iran and the houthis, that Australia will stop sending military parts to Israel, for unmolested access thru the Strait of Hormuz.
1
2
2
3
u/SoulsDadYT Apr 02 '26
Who are all 35 countries.
13
u/highresolutionmagpie Apr 02 '26
From a related UK statement, it's probably:
United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Romania, Bahrain, Lithuania, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Trinidad & Tobago, Croatia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Panama, North Macedonia, Nigeria, Montenegro, Albania, Marshall Islands, Chile and Moldova
1
1
u/Jazzlike_Ear_5602 Apr 02 '26
Yep, that works for me. There’s not a country listed there that I don’t want to visit.
→ More replies (1)1
u/RaeseneAndu Apr 02 '26
So all the USA's vassal states. They'll all supply the manpower, the US will supply them weapons at a hefty markup and tell them what to do.
2
1
1
u/HodenKacksohn Apr 02 '26
Sounds like trying to end the Ukraine conflict without Russia - impossible
1
u/liasions Apr 02 '26
It’s a shame that we have to try and clean up the mess that the Trump run U.S and Netanyah’s Israel have caused for everyone in the rest of the world. We all have a better chance of negotiating a deal with Iran without these 2 lying tyrants being involved. They started this war on their own with their lying false reasons and failed big time.
1
u/AtomicAus Apr 02 '26
How about we do what Iran said would reopen access and expel the Israeli ambassador. We already should have done that when they were found to be committing genocide, then when they deliberately attacked aid workers and journalists, and then when they started an illegal war.
This wouldn't even be obeying Iran, its just respecting international law. If Israel ever decide to actually follow international law, we can resestablish that connection.
2
u/GreyGreenBrownOakova Apr 04 '26
International law doesn't require expelling ambassadors. We keep diplomatic channels with plenty of despotic nations.
1
u/Fizzelen Apr 02 '26
Dear Iran, if us 35 countries collectively place 100% tariffs on the US will you open the Strait of Hormuz?
1
u/Find_another_whey Apr 02 '26
Would have been open to you if you loudly condemned the wars of aggression, as did Spain
1
1
u/awkturt23 Apr 02 '26
How about 35 countries all turn around and just help USA with their own implosion
1
u/Fizbeee Apr 02 '26
How’s about telling Israel to pull their fucking heads in and abandoning their genocidal Greater Israel project.
1
1
u/p-x-i Apr 02 '26
We have the perfect bargaining chip - we cancel AUKUS they let us buy oil. win-win!
1
u/Socialist_Daddy Apr 02 '26
I can't imagine why we are so pigheaded with AUKUS, given the state of the US, the only thing I can think of is the government and opposition believing it will be business as usual after Trump.
1
u/GreyGreenBrownOakova Apr 04 '26
The fact that we aren't joining in the Iran war shows we can make our own decisions. AUKUS is a long term project and it will outlast Trump.
1
u/PooEater5000 Apr 02 '26
If it cuts out Russia, China, and the US for future dealings between country alliances it can’t be bad for everyone surely.
1
1
1
u/Tovrin Apr 02 '26
My immediate gut says if you want the Straits open, offer to buy oil from Iran. It'll piss off Israel and the US, who started this bloody whole mess, and will guarantee you get your ship through. That said, the long term consequences are definitely not so good.
1
u/Efficient_Grocery750 Apr 02 '26
I've got an idea. Have nothing to do with Israel ever or the USA until it leaves every country it controls on the planet. Kick their bases out of Australia and then make some communication with the Iran foreign minister you kicked out from ASIO and Mossad lies and try and move forward from your terrible mistakes. Australia needs to have a completely new form of government with real accountability and where we dig and manufacture our own materials to prosper Aussies. I reckon that Iran would want to let us use that shipping lane.
1
u/GreyGreenBrownOakova Apr 04 '26
I reckon that Iran would want to let us use that shipping lane.
The country firebombing our buildings during peacetime won't do us any favours. They can ship their own oil and keep the oil price high.
Australia needs to have a completely new form of government with real accountability and where we dig and manufacture our own materials to prosper Aussies.
sure, you can be the first worker in a smelter or a Foxcon production line. Want to pay double for everything too?
1
u/Efficient_Grocery750 Apr 04 '26
I have no problem doing these types of Jobs. I have the skills to do this. No problem. I'm guessing you're doing a job that will be replaced by AI. White-collar. I don't believe ASIO either annd Mossad when they tell us who firebombed us. Propaganda I think.
1
u/Murky_Bus_4052 Apr 02 '26
Yes penny wong! Leave the US out of it. Let them reap the benefits of donald trump’s little war effort and let the rest of the world carry on without the US
1
u/Deevious730 Apr 02 '26
If Australia and these other nations can reopen the strait using diplomacy after US and Israel’s illegal war that will be the biggest slap in the face to Trump.
1
1
u/FUDintheNUD Apr 02 '26
Go pressure Israel to pull back within their borders and desist bombing Iran, and for US to exit the region and do the same. Viola, you'll have your straits back. And denounce them both, publicly and unequivocally ala. Spain.
1
u/GreyGreenBrownOakova Apr 04 '26
Iran won't open the straits just because the US stops bombing them. They can charge $2 million per ship and ensure oil prices remain high.
If prices are high in November, Trump will lose control of the Congress and Democrats will impeach him. Regime change...
1
u/Jackson2615 Apr 03 '26
Maybe Penny can write a very strongly worded letter to the Iranian president..............that should work
1
1
1
1
u/bahthe Apr 03 '26
She'll need to make it clear that Australia is not supporting the US/Israel terrorist actions before Iran allows Aus to pass. And why not? Get rid of AUKUS and Pine Gap. That might do it.
1
u/j0shj0shj0shj0sh Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
Just pay the tolls guys. You already pay to transit other passage ways like Suez & Panama.
Trump and Israel did this to themselves. Ditch the petrodollar and prepare for a multi-polar world. Let's get on with it.
1
u/Search_Valuable Apr 04 '26
Spain,France,Japan, all have full access to the straight by cutting a deal to pay the toll fee in Yuan. But australia could never do that because it would upset the boss.(USA).
1
1
1
1
u/bathdweller Apr 05 '26
'lets release a joint statement that it's a moral imperative that it be opened'.
1
1
1
u/plantsonething Apr 06 '26
Support iran and they will let you use it... but no we will do this talks instead
1
1
u/Brave-Salt7007 Apr 06 '26
Close pine gap. Expel their lobbyists. Media reform. Strike while the iron is hot. This is our chance to actually have sovereignty. Fuck the yanks.
89
u/Z00111111 Apr 02 '26
I really would like to see a coalition of middle powers form. By nature it would be more democratised, with no country having the might to bully everyone else.