Australia’s government said on Sunday it was considering requests to help protect countries attacked by Iran in the widening Middle East conflict, but reiterated it would not take part in any military operations in Iran.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, confirmed to newsmen that the government has been asked to provide assistance against Iran’s driving missiles.
Australia, a close U.S. ally, has said it will not deploy troops to the Middle East if the conflict escalates.
“We’ve had many countries, which are non participants, (that) have been attacked by Iran through this. You would anticipate as a consequence that we have been asked for assistance, and we will work through that carefully,” Wong said on Sunday.
Asked if Australia could help protect nations from Iranian drone and missile attacks, she said “correct”.
“We will work through that in accordance with the position that I have outlined, which is we are not participating in offensive action against Iran and we have made clear we will not participate in any ground troop deployment,” Wong added.
The minister further reiterated that the government would not deploy Australian defence force personnel into the conflict.
“This is not Iraq, and we are not the Howard government, we are not asking Australians to accept Australian men and women being deployed into a ground war,” Wong said.
“We have made very clear the basis of the decision and the parameters of our engagement.”
He also defended the government’s claim that Australia has not been involved in offensive action, after three Australian personnel were confirmed on Friday to be onboard the US submarine that torpedoed an Iranian war ship near Sri Lanka.
She said third country deployments of Australian personnel was “not a new thing”, but added that any Australian deployed overseas would still be subject to Australian law.
“It is not new for Australian defence personnel to be engaged in this way. When they are deployed … we always have arrangements, to ensure that any personnel comply with Australian law, Australian policy and Australian directives.”
On 5 March, Defence launched Operation Beech, part of the consular effort to provide assistance to Australians stuck in the Middle East, deploying a Royal Australian air force C-17A Globemaster heavy transport aircraft and KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport as a precautionary measure.
Labor has continued to direct Australians to use commercial flight options to return home.
On Sunday, the government confirmed 1,549 Australians have arrived in Australia on nine commercial flights from the United Arab Emirates. There are a further three flights from the UAE landing in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth on Sunday.
A total of 92 Australians have been bussed out of Qatar to Saudi Arabia, while Qatar Airways advised the government that 68 Australians departed Doha on Saturday to Europe.
