Australia confirms no advance notice of US-Israeli strikes but supports prevention of Iranian nuclear build up

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed Australia had no advance notice of US-Israeli strikes on Iran but says the Government supports international efforts to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Iranian state media have confirmed that the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the strikes as the conflict continues to dramatically escalate tensions across the Middle East.

Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks have hit multiple countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, raising fears it could trigger a wider regional war.

Speaking after the National Security Committee on Sunday, Senator Wong didn’t explicitly say the strikes were justified but issued support for action against an Iranian nuclear build up.

“Australia supports action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. And preventing Iran from continuing to threaten international peace,” she said.

She said “obviously, Australia did not participate in these strikes” but added that the government was in contact with international partners and described the situation as “volatile and risky”.

“Australia stands with the great struggle against oppression. For decades we know the Iranian regime has been a destabilising force through its ballistic nuclear programs.

“We have seen a brutal crackdown, killing thousands of its own citizens. A regime that requires the murder of its own people to maintain authority is a regime without legitimacy.”

She said the Ayatollah would not be mourned and urged Iran to “cease” its retaliatory attacks.

“Ultimately any regime change must be determined by the people of Iran,” she added.

WA Liberal MP and former SAS veteran Andrew Hastie described Iran as “an enemy of Australia” which has “conducted terrorism on our shores”.

He said Mr Trump’s decision to strike wasn’t surprising as he labelled him “an apex opportunist” but added that he held concerns on the change of regime by force.

“I’m not surprised that President Trump has taken this action along with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he told Sunday Agenda.

“There’s a lot of risk and as a veteran of the so-called Forever Wars, I’m very suspicious about regime change by force,” he said.

“But Iran has a terrible regime – they’re a proxy, they’re underwritten by Chinese and Russian tech.

“So, this is also a demonstration by President Trump that he is reestablishing deterrence and he’s also going to send a message to some of his other geopolitical competitors that US military technology is superior.

“He made that point after Venezuela, defeating Russian and Chinese tech in their air defences. I assume the same point will be made post this operation as well.”

When asked if Australia was prepared to send troops if necessary, Senator Wong “did not participate in the strikes and you would not expect us to participate”.

Asked to clarify if she was ruling it out, she added “you would not expect us… to participate”.

Mr Hastie said he couldn’t weigh into if Australia should offer military support as he hadn’t been briefed on what, if any, requests had been made.

“My first concern last night when I saw footage of a missile hitting Bahrain was for the ADF personnel who had been sent there over the last few years. I don’t know what the picture is, and I’d hesitate to comment without any information on that,” he said.

Senator Wong couldn’t confirm how many Australians are thought to be in the region and now stranded due to the closure of flight zones and expansion of Do Not Travel alerts across several nations.

“The Department of Foreign urgently seeking to confirm whether any Australians have been affected,” she said.

Senator Wong urged Australians in Iran and Israel to access an official register portal opened on Sunday morning and a crisis communications line if they seek to leave.

She acknowledged it could be an “extremely distressing” time for Australians in the region and for their families on home soil.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke echoed Senator Wong’s support for the prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and added that Australia “unequivocally stands with the Iranian people”.

“Iran has been in breach of nuclear agreements for a very long time. It’s critically important, critically important, that Iran does not end up with nuclear weapons,” he told Weekend Sunrise.

“We’re supporting the United States, taking action to prevent that.”

“We want the Iranian people to be able to have charge of their government again.”

He said Australia’s priority was the protection of its citizens and urged travellers to stay up to date with the official DFAT advice.

Linking Iran’s nuclear threat as the basis of the US-Israel attacks across the weekend has raised questions after Mr Trump had claimed it had already “obliterated” their program during earlier strikes in June 2025.

When asked on the legal basis of the US-Israel offensive, Senator Wong said she would leave it to the allied nations to answer questions on the justification and now it aligns with international law.

“I will leave it for the United States and Israel to speak of the… legal basis for the attacks.

She then raised the 2024 Iran orchestrated attacks on home soil which prompted the government to expel the Iranian ambassador to Australia last year.

“What I would say to Australians is that Iran has been a destabilising force in the region for decades. This issue did not start yesterday.”