Prime Minister Scott Morrison was at pains last week to emphasise the “modest and time-limited” nature of Australia’s contribution to the new US-led maritime security mission in the Strait of Hormuz known as the International Maritime Security Construct’ (IMSC). He batted away suggestions that this could embroil Australia in the escalating tensions between the US and Iran, insisting that the mission is “all about de-escalating tensions” and “not related to any other matters that are the subject of a lot of attention in that region”.
