Iraq will not join operations in the Strait of Hormuz

Moscow (ANTARA) - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said on Monday that operations in the Strait of Hormuz would not help shipping and would provoke a reaction from Iran, adding that Iraq would not participate in them. Escalation surrounding Iran has caused a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main route for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments from Persian Gulf countries to global markets, and has also affected oil export and production levels in the region. US President Donald Trump has called on several countries to send ships to the strait. “We do not believe in military solutions. Armed protection of ships will provoke a reaction from Iran and will not contribute to shipping. Therefore, we will not participate in any military action in the Persian Gulf,” al-Sudani told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. On 19 March, six countries – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan – announced “their readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through” the Strait of Hormuz. Several other countries later joined the statement. On 28 February, the US and Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by attacking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East.