Iraq has rejected as ‘unacceptable’ any Israeli participation in a naval force sought by the US in Strait of Hormuz.

Iraq “rejects any participation of forces of the Zionist entity in any military force to secure passage of ships in the Arabian Gulf”, Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim wrote on social media on Monday.

“Together, the Gulf states can secure the passage of ships,” he said.

He added that “Iraq will work to lower tensions in our region through calm negotiations”, while “the presence of Western forces in the region would raise tensions”.

The United States has been seeking to assemble an international coalition to “guarantee freedom of navigation” in the Gulf citing attacks on tankers in the strait where about 20 percent of the world’s oil trade passes through.

Israeli media have reported a possible role for the Zionist entity in such operation, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Tel Aviv was assisting US-led efforts to “boost security” around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Source: Agencies