Trump’s call for countries to send warships to protect the Strait of Hormuz brings no promises

CAIRO —  President Trump’s appeal to several nations to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz “open and safe” brought no commitments Sunday as oil prices soar during the Iran war.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS that Tehran has been “approached by a number of countries” seeking safe passage for their vessels, “and this is up to our military to decide.” He said a group of vessels from “different countries” had been allowed to pass, without providing details.

Iran has said the strait, through which one-fifth of global oil exports normally pass, is open to all except the United States and its allies.

Araghchi added that “we don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans” about finding a way to end the war, noting that Israel and the U.S. started the fighting with coordinated attacks on Feb. 28 during indirect U.S.-Iran talks on Iran’s nuclear program. He also said Tehran had “no plan to recover” the enriched uranium that is under rubble following U.S. and Israeli attacks last year.

Trump had appealed to China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others to send warships to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Countries are cautious after Trump’s call

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told NBC he has been “in dialogue” with some of the countries Trump mentioned and said he expected China “will be a constructive partner” in reopening the strait.

But countries made no promises.

Britain said Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday discussed with Trump the importance of reopening the strait “to end the disruption to global shipping,” and spoke with Canada’s prime minister about it separately.

A spokesperson for China’s embassy to the U.S., Liu Pengyu, said that “all parties have the responsibility to ensure stable and unimpeded energy supply” and that China would “strengthen communication with relevant parties” for de-escalation.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said that it “takes note” of Trump’s call and that it “will closely coordinate and carefully review” the situation with the United States.

Expectations are also high that Trump could ask Japan to send warships when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets him Thursday at the White House.

France previously said it is working with other countries — President Emmanuel Macron mentioned partners in Europe, India and other Asian countries — on a possible international mission to escort ships through the strait. But he has stressed it would have to be as “the circumstances permit,” when fighting has subsided.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul of Germany, which was not mentioned in Trump’s call, told ARD television: “Will we soon be an active part of this conflict? No.”

Meanwhile, emergency stocks of oil “will soon start flowing to global markets,” the International Energy Agency said Sunday, describing the collective action on lower prices “by far the largest ever.”

It updated last week’s announcement of its plan to release 400 million barrels to nearly 412 million. Member countries in Asia plan to release stocks “immediately,” it said, and reserves from Europe and the Americas will be released “from the end of March.”

More missile and drone attacks

Gulf Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain reported new missile and drone attacks a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates — the first time it has threatened a neighboring country’s non-U.S. assets.

Iran has accused the U.S. of launching Friday’s strikes on Kharg Island, home to Iran’s primary oil terminal, from the UAE, without providing evidence. It has threatened to attack U.S.-linked “oil, economic and energy infrastructures” if its oil infrastructure is hit.

U.S. Central Command said it had no response to Iran’s claim, and Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic advisor to the UAE president, rejected it. The UAE and other gulf countries that host U.S. bases have denied allowing their land or airspace to be used for military operations against Iran.

Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most projectiles are intercepted. Tehran says it targets U.S. assets, though Iranian strikes have been reported at civilian sites such as airports and oil fields.

War’s toll mounts across the region

Iranian strikes have killed at least a dozen civilians in gulf countries, most of them migrant workers.

In Iran, the International Committee for the Red Cross said more than 1,300 people have been killed. Iran’s Health Ministry said 223 women and 202 children are among the dead, according to Mizan, the judiciary’s official news agency.

Iran’s government on Sunday showed journalists buildings damaged by strikes in Tehran on Friday. A police station was hit and surrounding buildings were damaged. Some apartments’ outer walls had been stripped away.

“God had mercy on all of us,” said Elham Movagghari, a resident. Other Iranians are leaving the country.

In Israel, 12 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire and more have been injured, including three Sunday. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed, six of them in a plane crash in Iraq last week.

At least 820 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to its Health Ministry, since Iran-backed Hezbollah started hitting Israel and Israel responded with strikes and sent additional troops into southern Lebanon. In just 10 days, more than 800,000 people — nearly 1 out of every 7 residents of Lebanon — have been displaced.

More Iranian missile strikes hit Israel

Israel said it continued to strike Iran. Iran fired missiles toward Israel.

Several strikes hit central Israel and the Tel Aviv area, where they caused damage at 23 sites and sparked a small fire. Magen David Adom, Israel’s rescue service, released video showing a large crater in a street and shrapnel damage to an apartment building.

Israel’s military says Iran is firing cluster bombs that can evade some air defenses and scatter submunitions across multiple locations.

Metz, Magdy, Frankel and Anna write for the Associated Press and reported from Ramallah, West Bank; Cairo; Jerusalem and Lowville, N.Y.; respectively. AP journalists Sally Abou AlJoud and Fadi Tawil in Beirut, John Leicester in Paris and and Fatima Hussein and Tia Goldenberg in Washington contributed to this report.