Penny Wong says Australia is 'alarmed' by Israel attacking Iran
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The news: Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia is “alarmed” by Israel’s attack on Iran, warning the development risks further destabilising a volatile region.
The context: Israel launched a series of attacks on Iran on Friday morning, a move it says was designed to curb Tehran’s ambition to develop nuclear weapons.
Speaking to reporters in Adelaide soon after the news broke, Wong claimed Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program "represents a threat to international peace”.
“We urge the parties to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy,” she said, urging Australians in the region to monitor SmartTraveller.
The strikes came in the middle of talks between the Trump administration and Tehran over a nuclear deal, which Israel has long opposed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was an avid critic of a nuclear deal struck between US President Barack Obama and Iran, which Trump ripped up in his first administration.
The development is likely to derail progress in Trump’s new negotiations, and has sparked fears of an all-out war in the region.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed the US was alerted to but not involved in the strikes, which Netanyahu said will continue “for many days”.
What they said: “Australia is alarmed by the escalation between Israel and Iran. This risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile,” Wong said.
The source: CNN
