Australia supports US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has voiced support for the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, stating they were necessarily to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, “The world has long agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon, and we support action to prevent that,” he said.

“The US action was directed at specific sites central to Iran’s nuclear program. We don’t want escalation and a full-scale war, we continue to call for dialogue and for diplomacy.”

“We have been upfront about the challenge facing the international community – that is, dealing with the threat posed by any Iranian nuclear weapons program and dealing with the risk of regional escalation.

“And that’s why Australia called upon Iran to come to the table and abandon any nuclear weapons program. 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.”

When asked whether the PM supported the premise of the strikes – that Iran had nuclear weapons – Albanese remarked, “The information has been clear, that Iran has sought to increase the grade… there’s no other explanation for it to reach 60 [per cent], other than engaging in a program that wasn’t about civilian nuclear power… It was also very clear over a period of time and as early as a week ago, of course, at the G7 when President Trump left the G7, made it clear that Iran had an opportunity to comply. They chose not to and there have been consequences of that.”