Donald Trump ‘snubs' Anthony Albanese at the G7
Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell discusses US President Donald Trump's decision to leave the G7 early to address the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
'Now, since that snub, the President has reached out to two other leaders who he also cancelled G7 meetings with,' Mr Clennell said.
'Despite the failure of Mr Trump to hang around to meet Mr Albanese, the Australian government's view is that Donald Trump has agreed to a meeting. It really is just a question of when it occurs.'
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Sky News AU
23 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Former prime minister Scott Morrison backs US strikes on Iran, slams Albanese government's ‘ambiguity'
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has thrown his support behind US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling the operation a "necessary event". US President Donald Trump ordered strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday (Australian time), escalating the Middle East conflict to new heights. Mr Morrison told Sky News on Sunday that the strikes would help to bring peace, and accused the Albanese government of failing to take a clear stance on the conflict. 'This was a necessary event. There were no other options available to the president,' Mr Morrison said. 'This has been the most decisive and the most comprehensive action to terminate that threat.' The former prime minister also criticised the Albanese government for its unclear position on the Iran-Israel conflict. 'It's time for some clarity. I think there's been far too much ambiguity about this from Australia, far too much ambiguity, and it's time for clarity.' Defence Minister Richard Marles earlier had refused to directly back possible US strikes and instead reiterated the government's call for 'de-escalation'. Pressed on whether Australia supported the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, Mr Marles repeatedly avoided a direct answer. 'Uh, uh. Um, I'm... articulating the Australian government's position. That's the only thing I can articulate.' 'We have used our voice to urge de-escalation. And that's our position in respect of both the Iranian program, but also… in respect of this conflict,' he said. While acknowledging that Iran's nuclear ambitions were 'concerning' and 'a threat to peace and stability,' Mr Marles declined to endorse any US military response. The exchange followed Foreign Minister Penny Wong's shifting position on Australia's attitude toward the Israel-Iran conflict. The government has faced criticism in recent weeks for its slow and cautious responses to Iranian aggression and its measured language toward Israel. Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan told Sky News Sunday Agenda that the Albanese government has 'isolated themselves' from the Israeli government. 'I think that has left them in a situation where they're really trying to walk two sides here,' Mr Tehan said. 'I think what we need to see from the government is greater moral clarity as to whether they do, once and for all, want to see Iran rid of its nuclear weapons program.' Liberal Senator and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma recently criticised Ms Wong for initially calling for de-escalation and diplomacy. 'Part of the reason for this war is the failure of dialogue… there have been multiple rounds of negotiations held with Iran,' Mr Sharma told Sky News. 'I don't see much prospect for dialogue.' The US strikes on Sunday targeted Iran's key nuclear sites at Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordow. President Trump confirmed the operation involved B-2 bombers, with six bunker-buster bombs used to destroy facilities buried deep in the mountains. 'Fordow is gone… Iran must now agree to end this war,' President Trump posted on Truth Social. Mr Morrison praised the US response as a proportionate show of strength after all diplomatic avenues had failed. 'This is not something that I believe (Trump) wants to see widened. But this hopefully resolves that question of their nuclear capability,' he said. The Albanese government has yet to formally comment on the US operation. Sky News has contacted the Defence Minister for comment.
News.com.au
26 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘Gone': US move stopped world in its tracks
The United States has joined Israel's war against Iran, with President Donald Trump announcing American warplanes had dropped bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran. The three sites that were hit included Iran's mountain facility at Fordo, the heavily fortified underground facility in Iran that is critical to its nuclear program, and a larger plant at Natanz, which had already been targeted by Iran. The third site was at Isfahan, which is where Iran is believed to keep its near-bomb-grade enriched uranium. 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,' Mr Trump announced on social media. Later in a speech at the White House, Mr Trump said the attack's objective was 'the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capability and a stop to the world's number one state sponsor of terror'. 'I can report to the world the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,' he said. 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.' Retired US army officer John Spencer has told the ABC News the 13 tonne massive ordnance penetrators used in the attack could strike about 60 metres into the ground. 'Fordow is anywhere from 30-400 feet (nine to 121m deep). It's not one small site; it's multiple sites. We'll learn later how many bunker busters were dropped,' he said. Iran built the facility at Fordo in the 2000s, knowing that it needed to bury it deep to prevent it from being attacked. Iranian state media reported the three nuclear sites had been evacuated 'some time ago'. An official also told the IRNA news agency: 'There are no materials in these three nuclear sites that cause radiation.' Many believed the bombing could stop the potential of a weaonpised nuclear bomb from being created. US security analyst Mike Lyons told the ABC News the attack on Fordow meant Iran's nuclear program was now crippled and its uranium 'enrichment program is over, that they won't have any capability to create a weaponised nuclear bomb'. Israel had claimed Iran was rapidly nearing the capability of creating nuclear weapons, which Iran had denied alleging it was for a peaceful purposes such as a civilian power program. The US intelligence community has determined Iran's leaders were not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, but did describe its uranium stockpile as unprecedented. CBS news is also reporting that the US had reached out to Iran diplomatically on Saturday to indicate the strikes on nuclear facilities is the only attack planned by Washington and it wasn't seeking to force a regime change. Mr Trump 'continues to hold out hope that diplomacy will now be able to proceed', according to CNN network's sources. However, Mr Spencer warned that Iran could still go the 'irrational route' and retaliate. 'It could go with Hezbollah, which still has a lot of capabilities, against Israel, (and where) there are hundred of thousands of American citizens,' he said. 'It could (activate) Shia-backed militia groups in Iraq to attack American bases. It's ballistic program, which is about 50 per cent destroyed, it could make that fatal mistake of launching ballistic missiles at American bases within its range.' Other experts argue that Iran might see a disproportionate attack as the only way to deter further strikes and could target American bases. Jonathan Panikoff, the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said Iran could seek full retaliation, which would mean 'a significant escalatory spiral that could get out of hand quickly'. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee, who heads the IDF's Arab media unit, indicated that it is anticipating a reliatory attack and issued a warning. 'It was decided to move all regions of the country to the level of essential work,' he wrote on X. 'The instructions include prohibiting educational activities, gatherings, and work centres, with the exception of essential work areas.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video in response to the US attack on Iran. 'Congratulations President Trump,' he said. 'Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history.' '(The United States) has done what no other country on Earth could do,' he continues. 'That President Trump acted to deny the world's most regime the world's most dangerous weapons.' Meanwhile, the reaction from US politicians has been mixed. Republican Senate leader John Thune supported the bombing declaring 'the misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped'. 'As we take action tonight to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran, I stand with President Trump and pray for the American troops and personnel in harm's way,' he wrote on X. There are more than 40,000 US troops and civilians working for the Pentagon in the Middle East, across several countries and they could be in Iran's direct line of fire depending on the country's response. While the US had pulled personnel out of the Middle East earlier this month, the largest land base, according to The Washington Post, is the Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq – about 240 kilometres west of Baghdad. It houses thousands of troops and has been attacked in the past by Iran. US troops are also in other locations include Jordan, Syria, Turkey and the Persian Gulf. Omar Rahman, from the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told the ABC that Iran is likely to retaliate and the US attack could push it further towards its nuclear program. 'Iran has its back to the wall for the moment and it needs to retaliate to show some sort of credibility for the regime,' he said. 'I think you're going to see some sort of military response here against US assets and military installations in the region That could be against aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, it could be against any number of the bases and tens of thousands of US soldiers stationed in the region.' Meanwhile, Republican senator Lindsey Graham described it as 'the right call' adding the 'regime deserves it'. However, Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie said the US attack was 'not constitutional'. US senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders condemned the attack as 'so grossly unconstitutional'. 'All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the US Congress. The president does not have the right,' he said. Back in Australia, The Greens labelled the attack a 'blatant breach of international law'. 'From Iraq to Afghanistan, we have seen Australia follow the US into devastating and brutal wars that have done untold damage to the people of the Middle East. We know that you cannot bomb your way to peace,' Greens leader Larissa Waters said. 'Australia must always work for peace and de-escalation. Australia is not powerless, and we cannot be involved in another brutal war in the Middle East. 'Australia must take this opportunity to get out of AUKUS, have an independent foreign policy that centres peace, and must not allow the use of Australian US military bases like Pine Gap in this conflict.'
7NEWS
30 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
US president Donald Trump addresses the world after Iranian strikes
US president Donald Trump will shortly be addressing the world after confirming American forces have completed strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Trump announced the US had executed three 'very successful attacks' on the sites at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. The announcement was shortly after confirmed in a statement from the White House on Saturday local time. Trump addressed the nation from the White House at 10pm local time, saying that strikes were carried out on three key nuclear facilities, calling the mission a 'spectacular success'. Strikes had 'completely and totally obliterated' the Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump said. Trump called Iran the 'bully of the Middle East,' saying they must now make peace. 'If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,' he said. 'For 40 years, Iran has been saying, 'Death to America, death to Israel.' 'They've been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs.'
