Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions Labor was flat-footed in its response to US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, or Australia was being forgotten by Donald Trump, and says his government wants a nascent ceasefire between Israel and Iran to be fully implemented.
Hours after the US president claimed a permanent ceasefire had been agreed to end the war in the Middle East on Tuesday morning Australian time, Israel continued to strike Iran with bombs, putting an immediate pause in hostilities in doubt.
“What we want to see is the ceasefire announced by President Trump implemented,” Albanese told Sky News on Tuesday afternoon. “We do want to see dialogue and diplomacy replace any escalation.”
Albanese and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, spoke to the media in Canberra on Monday morning, a full day after Trump ordered damaging strikes on Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Labor has been criticised for a lacklustre response to the crisis, and Albanese would not say whether Washington had given Canberra any prior notice of the military action.
Overnight Iran launched new strikes against a US military base in Qatar, though US troops had pulled out before the bombing amid expectations of retaliation from Tehran.
Asked on Tuesday if his government had been flat-footed in its response, Albanese said his was a “considered, orderly government”.
“We were very clear for some period of time that Iran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” he said. “We called for Iran to come to the table to ensure that the United States wouldn’t have to take the action that they did.”
He said Australia was not being forgotten by the Trump administration, days after his first face-to-face meeting with the president was abruptly cancelled at the G7 summit in Canada.
“We have agreed that we will have a meeting and that will take place at a time that is convenient for both of us. That will be a good thing.”
The defence minister, Richard Marles, looks likely to represent Australia at key meeting on the sidelines of this week’s Nato summit in the Netherlands, after Albanese opted not to attend.
The meeting of the “IP4” group – which includes the Indo-Pacific nations Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea – is expected to include talks about Trump’s demands that countries including Australia increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP.
But it is expected to be a ministerial- or officials-level discussion, since the prime minister and the leaders of South Korea and Japan will not be in The Hague for the talks. New Zealand’s prime minister, Christopher Luxon, has travelled to the summit.
after newsletter promotion
Albanese last week said he had considered travelling for talks with Trump and European leaders but government sources said the trip would only take place if a meeting with Trump could be confirmed.
On Tuesday Albanese said two of the other IP4 leaders not being present “was a part of the decision-making process” on the last-minute trip.
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, and the acting shadow foreign minister, Andrew Hastie, welcomed the potential Iran-Israel ceasefire.
“Any step that deescalates tensions, and prevents a wider regional conflict is a moment to be recognised,” they said. “A ceasefire is a vital step to prevent further suffering and to give space for diplomacy and stability to return.”
The pair urged Albanese to travel to the Nato talks to meet Trump.
A meeting between the two leaders could take place in September, with Albanese expected to travel to the US for the UN general assembly.
