US invites NZ to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz

The United States has invited New Zealand to join forces with a number of other countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The vital shipping route has beenlargely shut since the beginning of the Middle East war.

The Wall Street Journal reported the Trump administration had called on US embassies to encourage foreign governments to join a coalition that would restore access to the strait.

A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand had received "initial and preliminary information" on a US proposal.

"We are in the process of asking questions and seeking more information about this preliminary proposal. Accordingly, we are not close to a point where the New Zealand Government would be making any decisions about it."

The spokesperson said New Zealand had also been in meetings with "a broad range of partners" to understand the UK and France-led military planning for a potential multinational mission to re-open the passage. Those meetings would inform any future advice to ministers on potentially contributing to a multinational coalition, they said.

The minister's office said New Zealand would only consider participating in any mission related to the strait if there was a sustainable ceasefire agreement.

"Our potential participation would also be a matter for Cabinet consideration at the appropriate future time."

Labour's foreign affairs spokesperson Vanushi Walters told Midday Report New Zealand should only consider joining a mission to reopen the Strait under strict conditions.

"If there was a sustainable ceasefire, and there was compliance with international law - so ideally a UN [United Nations] mandate - with Iran's consent, so that they didn't treat New Zealand as a belligerent party, then there's possibility that there could be some intervention," she said.

New Zealand should not join any use of force and must be careful to continue its proud history of standing up for international law, Walters said.

She expected the government to include her in conversations about any action in the Strait to ensure a bipartisan approach.

Former National MP and defence minister Wayne Mapp agreed New Zealand's involvement hinged on a ceasefire - but he told Midday Report the country does have capability to contribute to any mission.

It would take weeks to get Navy frigates to the Strait, he said, but the Poseidon P8 plane could be used.

"A lot of this is monitoring who's there, what they're doing, how they're doing it, and those aircraft have certainly got that sort of surveillance capability."

Mapp also expected the UN to be involved.

Walters and Mapp both said New Zealand was unlikely to suffer ramifications if it turned down the US invitation, because it would be one of a number of other countries doing so.

The US Embassy has been approached for comment.

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