Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia is considering requests from Persian Gulf countries to provide defense support to counter Iranian drones and missile attacks.
According to AFP, Wong told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that some countries not directly involved in the conflict have recently been attacked by Iranian drones and missiles, and have therefore requested assistance from Australia.
When asked if this meant Australia might participate in intercepting Iranian drones and missiles, Wong replied, "Yes."
However, she emphasized that Australia will not participate in offensive military actions against Iran or send ground forces into Iran. She said Australia will assess and handle related requests according to its established position.
Last week, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, leading to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, which caused a sharp escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The Australian government expressed support for the U.S.-Israel action, calling it a necessary measure to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Currently, Australia has deployed about 100 troops in the Middle East, most of whom are stationed at the Minhad Air Base in the UAE. Australian officials said Canberra has no plans to participate in military operations against Iran at the moment.
Nevertheless, Australia maintains close military cooperation with the United States. Canberra revealed that as of last month, approximately 70 Australian personnel were deployed to serve in the U.S. nuclear submarine fleet.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that on the 4th of this month, when an American submarine sank an Iranian vessel, there were three Australian personnel on board, who were serving on the ship under a training program under the framework of the AUKUS agreement. AUKUS is a long-term defense cooperation agreement signed by Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859070498972682/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.