Legal basis of Iran attack up to US, Israel to explain: Wong
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Australia should be left to the US and Israel to explain the legality of their attacks on Iran, despite being one of the first countries to support the attack that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Speaking to the ABC, Senator Wong was asked about the justification of America’s actions under international law, particularly as critics compare military strikes on Iran to the illegal US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
“One of the differences between Iraq and now is that we do not participate in these attacks. This is the first point I will mention,” he said.
“Secondly, what I said is that the legal basis for this should be explained to the United States and Israel.”
Asked whether Australia would take a position on the legality of Iranian attacks, Senator Wong said: “Obviously, we are not party to the intelligence that both the US and the Israelis have cited in their decisions.”
Therefore, it is up to them to explain the legal basis for this.”
“We support the steps taken to ensure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons.”
He later added that Australia was committed to complying with international law.
“Australia is not moving away from its position that international law, particularly international humanitarian law, must be respected,” he said.
“And Australia will continue to do what we do in government, recognizing that we live in very difficult times, very difficult times.”
Last year, Australia cut diplomatic relations with Iran over allegations that it was behind anti-Semitic arson attacks on Lewis’s Continental Kitchen in Sydney and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.
More to come.
