Albanese urges Iran to ditch enrichment, prevents Wong from answering legality question
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More news: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged Iran to abandon its nuclear program, but prevented Foreign Minister Penny Wong from revealing whether Australia believes the US’ attack was legal.
At a joint press conference at Parliament House on Monday, Albanese repeatedly declined to reveal whether Australia had provided intelligence support to the US before the attack – potentially via Pine Gap.
The prime minister urged Iran to abandon its nuclear enrichment program, which he said was a threat to the international community.
“There’s no other explanation for it to reach 60 [% enrichment], other than engaging in a program that wasn’t about civilian nuclear power,” he said.
The UK has confirmed it was briefed by the US ahead of time. However, Albanese did not reveal whether Australia had been alert to the imminent attack, which he described as “a unilateral action taken by the US”.
Albanese also confirmed he had not spoken to US President Donald Trump since he launched the attacks.
In a series of interviews on Monday morning, Wong – who regularly cites the international rules-based order – did not answer directly when asked whether the attacks were legal under international law. Multiple international law experts have questioned the legality of the strikes.
When Wong was pressed on the issue, Albanese answered a question directed at him before moving on – ignoring requests for clarity from his foreign minister.
What was said: “The world has long agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon and we support action to prevent that,” Albanese said.
“We urge Iran not to take any further action that could destabilise the region.”
Penny Wong backs US attacks on Iran
The news: Foreign Minister Penny Wong has backed the US’ attack on Iran, but declined to comment on whether it was illegal under international law.
The context: Wong made the comments during an interview with ABC radio on Monday, a day after the Albanese government offered a lukewarm response to the strikes.
In her first public comments since Trump’s strikes, Wong clarified the government supports the US’ attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities – which the White House claims seriously degraded the country's enrichment capabilities.
“The world has agreed, Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon, so … we support action to prevent that,” she said.
Wong did not directly answer whether the strikes were illegal under international law, instead repeating her support for the US actions and adding only that the “key question … is what happens next”.
Wong’s comments were stronger language used in a statement on Sunday, in which the government again called for diplomacy and “noted” US President Donald Trump’s call for peace.
The statement was attributed to a government spokesperson, not to Wong or Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Wong’s comments come after the Coalition offered its full-throated endorsement for Trump’s attack, which leader Sussan Ley said was designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
What they said: “We do not want escalation and a full-scale war and we continue to call for dialogue and diplomacy,” Wong said.
The source: ABC Radio
