By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate calls with his Australian and British counterparts on Monday to discuss Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, the State Department said.
Here are some details:
• Rubio discussed “Iran and ongoing efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the State Department said in separate statements after his calls with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
• The Iran war has effectively closed the strait and caused the biggest disruption to the energy market in history.
• Before the war, about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the strait.
• Iran has blocked nearly all ships passing through the strait apart from its own.
• President Donald Trump has imposed a separate blockade of Iranian ports.
• Trump has repeatedly said Washington’s Western allies have not been doing enough to back the U.S. in the war, which began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
• Iran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.
• Trump said on Monday that a ceasefire with Iran, which was reached more than a month ago, was “on life support.”
• The U.S., Australia and the UK have imposed sanctions on Iranian networks and individuals both during and before the war.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by John mair)
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