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Australia has confirmed it will not participate in any military operations in Iran, even if the escalating Middle East conflict intensifies. The announcement came after Israel launched new airstrikes on Tehran and Iran retaliated with additional missile attacks, significantly heightening regional tensions.
The conflict deepened following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a weekend strike. Meanwhile, the United States confirmed its first casualties in the war, and U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the fighting could continue for at least four more weeks. Despite growing international concern, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong made it clear that Canberra would not deploy troops to the Middle East.
“Australia is not central to the issues in the Middle East. We did not participate in these strikes and do not anticipate participating in the future,” Wong said in a television interview on Monday.
The Australian government is now focused on assisting its citizens stranded in the region. Approximately 115,000 Australians are currently in the Middle East, many facing travel disruptions as regional airspace remains closed. Wong acknowledged that evacuation efforts are challenging due to ongoing hostilities and widespread flight cancellations. Major carriers such as Emirates and Etihad have suspended some services from Australia, further complicating travel plans.
Officials are in talks with airlines to support affected travelers, though the government has not confirmed whether repatriation flights will be arranged. Wong emphasized that both commercial and government flights are unable to operate while airspace restrictions remain in place.
Defence Minister Richard Marles also confirmed that precautionary steps have been taken to protect around 100 Australian defence personnel stationed at Al Minhad Air Base near Dubai, which supports United Nations missions.
As the Iran-Israel conflict continues, Australia maintains its stance of non-involvement while prioritizing citizen safety and monitoring developments closely.
