Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced the nation will remain committed to the multi-national mission in Iraq while urging "restraint" in the wake of Iran’s missile attack on several coalition bases.
The Pentagon has confirmed Iran fired "more than a dozen" missiles at the Ain Al-Assad and Irbil airbases in Iraq where US and coalition forces are based.
The attack is widely seen as a first response by Iran to the killing of General Qasem Soleimani in an American drone strike in Baghdad.
A member of an Iran-backed Iraqi Shiite armed group stands in front of a military base in Baghdad, 7 January 2020. Source: AAP
About 300 Australian troops and defence staff are on the ground in Iraq and Mr Morrison confirmed on Wednesday that no Australian personnel were killed or wounded.
Following a meeting with the National Security Committee and senior defence officials, he said Australia was committed to its mission in Iraq.
"Our goal remains a united, stable Iraq and the focus of our efforts is countering Daesh [another name for IS] and its support network," the PM said in an address from Canberra.
"That remains our mission and we remain tasked to that mission as our people there in the Middle East are pursuing.
"We remain committed to carrying on this important work.
"As I said yesterday, our priority right now is the safety and security of Australians and, along with all other coalition personnel, there were no casualties or losses that were suffered there yesterday."
He said "every precaution" is being taken to keep troops on the ground safe.
An Australian Army corporal assists in training Iraqi security forces. Source: AAP
"Australia wants to see and has encouraged restraint and de-escalation and I welcome President [Donald] Trump's statement overnight.
"We remain in close contact with the United States and our other partners. Indeed this morning I was in discussions with the Canadian prime minister where we discussed this matter. I have been in contact also today with the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and we will speak again later today about these issues."
Mr Morrison went on to praise the efforts of Australian military training and mentoring cadres in Iraq, saying they have "done great work and will continue to do great work".
After the Soleimani assassination last January, Tehran abandoned its commitments to the nuclear deal. Source: AAP
Overnight, US President Donald Trump said Iran appeared to be "standing down" after its missile attack on US-manned bases.
The attack resulted in no American or Iraqi deaths, he added.
"All of our soldiers are safe and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases. Our great American forces are prepared for anything," he said in an address to the nation from the White House.
"Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world. No American or Iraqi lives were lost."
Iranians carrying the coffin of late Gen Soleimani. Source: AAP
The comments cooled what threatened to become an uncontrolled boiling over of tensions after Mr Trump ordered the killing last Friday of Soleimani.
Iran's missiles targeted the sprawling Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq and a base in Arbil, both housing American and other foreign troops from a US-led coalition fighting the remnants of the Islamic State jihadist group.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who earlier promised "revenge" for Soleimani, called the missiles a "slap in the face" against the United States.
He indicated there was more to come.
"The question of revenge is another issue," he said in a televised speech.
With AFP...
