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TRANSCRIPT
Over the weekend, the US and Israel launched a series of airstrikes across Iran, an operation US President Donald Trump dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury.'
The operation resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, just , along with dozens of high-ranking military officials.
Mr Khamenei has been Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, succeeding the founder of the post-shah Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who steered Iran’s 1979 revolution.
On ABC's Radio National Breakfast, Defence Minister Richard Marles was questioned on whether the joint Australian-US Pine Gap facility is providing intelligence or direct support for the operation.
"I mean, we weren't advised of this before it happened and but we wouldn't have expected to be either. This is an action which is being taken by the United States and by Israel. And as I said, we are, we've not been a part of this. That said, you know, our position on the Iranian regime is absolutely clear, and we absolutely stand in support of the Iranian people."
The escalation puts 100 Australian defence personnel stationed in the region at risk.
This includes troops currently based at the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
Ben Saul, Challis Chair of International Law at the University of Sydney, told SBS that the US and Israeli actions are breaching one of the most fundamental rules of the international order established since 1945.
“Under international law they are in violation of the prohibition on the use of military force in the United Nations charter ...and in international law generally you can only use force in self defence if you’ve been attacked or if the security council authorises it - and of course that’s not the case here.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in February that it found no evidence of an active, systematic Iranian plan to build a nuclear weapon.
The agency is maintaining that Iran has gained the technical know-how and materials to build a nuclear bomb, but it has not yet assembled one.
Mr Marles is refusing to comment on the legality of the strikes.
However, he is endorsing the actions of the US and Israel to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.
"We support the United States in preventing the Iran acquiring a nuclear capability. The UN Security Council has long been in a position of doing everything within its power to stop the Iran acquiring that capability. I mean, ultimately, the legality of these measures is a matter for both the United States and Israel to go through."
While insisting that the legal justification for the attacks is a question for the US and Israel, Foreign Minister Penny Wong is remaining non-committal regarding the potential use of Pine Gap or other Australian intelligence resources.
Senator Wong on Sunday refused to clarify the involvement of Australia's intelligence site Pine Gap - stating the government "never comments on that facility".
"Ultimately, these strikes are a matter for the United States and Israel to explain. No one mourns the death of the Supreme Leader. This is a man who was responsible for a regime that brutally murdered its own people in an attempt to retain authority. This is a regime led by this man, which has sponsored terrorism, sponsored proxies who've engaged in terrorism in the region. This is a regime which has been part of organising attacks on Australian soil. So we do not mourn his death."
In a moment of bipartisan unity, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Jane Hume, echoed Ms Wong’s position.
"Ayatollah Khamenei is dead and because of that the world is a safer place. While there are thousands of Iranians living in Australia peacefully, the current regime in Iran is no friend to Australia. They have exported terrorism right across the world, including to our own shores. Indeed, the Adass Israel synagogue just near my home in Victoria was one of the targets that was. A terrorist attack that was orchestrated by Iran. We would certainly urge all Australians that are anywhere near the conflict zones and surrounding Arabic states to take the advice of the government to make sure that they register with Smart Traveller, that they listen to the advice of DFAT."
However, not all Labor MPs agree that the Iranian-Australian community is unanimously celebrating the Supreme Leader's death.
Labor MP Gabriel Ng, the Member for Menzies, represents the electorate with the highest population of Iranian Australians in the country.
He says that while some are celebrating, the reaction within the community remains varied.
"But at the same time there are mixed feelings and different views within the community and there is real hope at the moment as well. I know that many members of the community will welcome news of the death of Ayatollah Khamenei."
Independent MP Sophie Scamps is questioning the legality of the air strikes.
She says that the strikes contravene the international rules-based order to which Australia is a signatory.
"Look, Australia's signs up to the international rules based order, so it's outside that. So it's a difficult situation, because I know many people inside Iran are so desperate to get rid of that murderous regime, but I think we've got to look at where will we end up. Will it actually change the regime? All those types of questions, and there's deep uncertainty about that."
Greens Senator David Shoebridge is questioning why the Albanese government became the first in the world to publicly endorse President Trump’s actions.
He says nobody believes that Mr Trump is engaged in the war for the democracy or human rights of the Iranian people.
Senator Shoebridge acknowledges the brutal regime led by the late Ayatollah Khamenei, citing reports that tens of thousands of Iranians have died or suffered during crackdowns on protesters since January.
However, he is warning that if Australia fails to uphold international law now, the entire global legal framework will be rendered meaningless.
“We have seen the Albanese Labor government rush to be the first country in the world to back in Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu's latest illegal war. Literally rushing to back in a war that Labor knows is in gross breach of international law. And there's a reason that the Foreign minister has refused to discuss whether or not this war is illegal. It's because Labor knows it's illegal and Labor knows that the arguments put forward by their friend Donald Trump and his running mate Benjamin Netanyahu that this is about stopping some imminent nuclear threat in Iran - they know that’s a lie.”
The government's refusal to clarify Australia's involvement is also drawing condemnation from Senator Shoebridge.
“It is extraordinary that neither Foreign Minister Wong or Prime Minister Albanese are willing to come out and tell the Australian people the truth that U-S military bases here, Pine Gap, Northwest Cape, are being used to target and support Donald Trump's illegal attacks on Iran. They know that that's the purpose of Pine Gap. They know it's used to target military attacks in the Middle East. It's been used to target military attacks in Gaza. Now it's been used to target military attacks in Iran. And what does Labor say? They say: We won't even mention it - we won't talk about it.”
Meanwhile, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce is focusing on what this will mean for the Australian economy.
He says Australia is in a state of extreme vulnerability, relying on just two domestic oil refineries while burdened by over a trillion dollars in national debt.
"Let's start looking at what this means for Australia - in our genius we have gone down to two oil refineries, and our reserve supplies of oil are in the United States - and the Strait of Hormuz is closed down - we're in real trouble. We are completely unprepared for this. The Treasurer should be out explaining what their plan is. The Defence minister should be out explaining what their plan is.The resources minister should be out talking about how we're going to get the fuel here. If a crisis builds up, they should be out, but they're not. The opposition should be mounting a change, but everybody is focused on the Middle East. Start focusing on what happens in this nation and how we manage the problems that are coming our way."
