Australia supports US strikes on Iran nuclear sites, Wong says
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the government supports the United States' strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Speaking on Today this morning, Wong said the sites targeted by the United States were specific to Iran's nuclear program. "We support action to prevent Iran getting a nuclear weapon," Wong said. "We know what the UN nuclear watchdog has said … and that is that Iran is enriching to almost military levels ... enough for multiple nuclear weapons." Donald Trump confirmed the US strikes on Iran on Sunday. (9News) Donald Trump announced yesterday that the United States had dropped "a full payload of bombs" on three of Iran's nuclear sites claiming the country's nuclear enrichment facilities had been "completely and totally obliterated". An Australian government spokesperson on Sunday stopped short of offering an endorsement of the strikes. In a statement, the spokesperson called for de-escalation in the Middle East, while also acknowledging the risk posed by Iran's nuclear program. Wong said despite supporting the US strikes, ultimately what she and other world leaders were still calling for was "de-escalation and diplomacy", adding Australia did not want to see "a full-scale war and continued escalation in the Middle East". Wong said the US had not made any request for involvement in the war from Australia. "No such request has been made and I wouldn't speculate," Wong said. "But I again would say we are concerned, as are so many people around the world, about continued escalation. No-one wants to see full scale war in the Middle East." This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Fordow enrichment facility in Iran after the US strikes. (Maxar Technologies) Wong acknowledged the plight of thousands of Aussies who are still stuck in both Israel and Iran and said Australia was still working on trying to help them evacuate. "Obviously, this is a highly risky and precarious situation, and my heart goes out to Australians in Iran and in Israel, and to their friends and families in Australia who are so deeply worried about them," Wong said. The security situation in Israel meant land crossing were not possible, but the government was working on trying to arrange contingency flights, Wong said. "There are reports … of airspace opening for Israel for a limited period. We are working on contingency arrangements to see if we can get a flight in to collect people, and we have notified people on the ground about that." The situation in Iran was even worse and more serious, Wong said. We obviously have had to make the difficult decision to close our embassy," she said. There was a possibility that Australian officials may be able to provide some assistance to Australians who were able to make it to the Azerbaijani border, Wong said. national
federal politics
World
Iran
Donald Trump
USA
Middle East
conflict
Israel CONTACT US
Property News: The last inner Sydney suburbs where houses cost under $2m.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
9 News
42 minutes ago
- 9 News
The Republicans voicing dissent against Trump's strikes on Iran
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Before yesterday's military operation targeting nuclear enrichment sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, rifts were beginning to form within the party over the prospect of the US joining Israel to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Trump had campaigned for his second term opposing US involvement in the Middle East, promising to adopt an "America first" approach if elected for a second term. President Donald Trump speaks after the US military struck three Iranian nuclear and military sites. (AP) He had also previously criticised the then-president Barack Obama, posting to social media that he would start a war with Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly" and to "save face". Last week, Trump indicated Iran would have two weeks before he decided on whether to support Israel's efforts in Iran, but broke his own deadline after announcing the US had completed a "spectacular military success" in Iran. Within minutes of the news, strong condemnation began to roll in. Kentucky Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who has been leading a War Powers Resolution to prevent the US from becoming involved in another Middle East war in a rare cross-party alliance with California Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna, criticised the strikes as unconstitutional. "Congress has the sole authority to authorise war. Speaker Mike Johnson should bring our resolution to the floor for a vote immediately," he said on X. Georgia's Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right conservative and staunch Trump supporter, opposed the country's involvement. "Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war," she said on X. "There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first. Israel is a nuclear-armed nation. Ohio Republican Warren Davidson said it was "hard to conceive a rationale that's constitutional". He later questioned when Congress would be weighing in on the matter. Trump, however, insisted he had the full support of the Republican Party. "Great unity in the Republican Party, perhaps unity like we have never seen before," he said on Truth Social. Thomas Massie (left) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (right). (AP) Democrats have condemned the President for ordering the strikes without approval from Congress, which they say went against Article I of the Constitution. "President Trump came into office promising to 'end the endless foreign wars.' Tonight, he took steps that could drag the United States into another one, without consulting Congress, without a clear strategy, without regard to the consistent conclusions of the intelligence community, and without explaining to the American people what's at stake," Democratic Virginia Senator Mark Warner said on X. "The Constitution makes clear that the power to authorise war lies with Congress." New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went further to claim that Trump's strikes were "grounds for impeachment". But one of the top Republicans in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson, said Trump had evaluated that the "imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act". "The President fully respects the Article I power of Congress, and tonight's necessary, limited, and targeted strike follows the history and tradition of similar military actions under presidents of both parties," he said on X. Donald Trump USA World Israel Iran nuclear Politics CONTACT US Auto news:Is this the next Subaru WRX? Mysterious performance car teased.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
‘We don't want a full-scale war': PM urges Iran to not destabilise the region further
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses the press after following the successful US strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The government has thrown its support behind the US and has called for dialogue and de-escalation. 'The US action was directed at specific sites central to Iran's nuclear program, we don't want escalation and a full-scale war,' Mr Albanese said. 'We do urge Iran not to take any further action that will destabilise the region.'
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Israel-Iran war: Anthony Albanese backs ‘unilateral' US strikes on Iran but calls for ‘de-escalation'
Anthony Albanese has backed the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — a day after they took place — but it appears Australia did not know about the military plans in advance nor had any involvement. The Prime Minister repeatedly said the strikes were 'a unilateral action by the United States' during a short press conference on the matter in Canberra on Monday. 'We are up front, but we don't talk about intelligence, obviously, but we've made it very clear this was unilateral action taken by the United States,' he said when asked whether the Government had seen intelligence showing Iran was imminently at the point of developing a nuclear weapon or whether the Pine Gap signals facility was used to aid the attack. He reiterated calls for de-escalation and for Iran to return to the negotiating table. 'We are deeply concerned about any escalation in the region, and we want to see diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation,' he said. 'Iran didn't come to the table, just as it has repeatedly failed to comply with its international obligations. We urge Iran not to take any further action that could destabilise the region.' British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has revealed the US gave the UK a heads-up about the strikes shortly before they took place. Mr Albanese said that was because the UK has been involved for many years in negotiations with Iran. He would not directly answer multiple questions about whether Australia had similarly been given advance notice. 'We aren't a central player in this conflict. That's just a fact,' he said. He also revealed that he is still yet to speak to Donald Trump since the US President cancelled a meeting when he left the G7 early to deal with the Middle East conflict.
