Italians vote on citizenship and job protections
Campaigners for the change in the citizenship law say it will help second-generation Italians born in the country to non-European Union parents better integrate into a culture they already see as theirs.
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Sky News AU
20 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley expresses support for US strikes on Iran, calls for solidarity against nuclear threat
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has expressed support for US President Donald Trump's military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday (Australian time) that US forces had hit three of Iran's principal nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. While the Albanese government has called for 'de-escalation', the federal opposition has expressed strong support for the United States' military actions. 'The Coalition supports actions taken by the United States of America to ensure that the Iranian regime is stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons,' Ms Ley said. 'It was made clear by the International Atomic and Energy Agency on June 12 that Iran was in breach of its Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations.' Under the treaty, Iran was prohibited from attempting to acquire, manufacture, or otherwise obtain nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic had since stockpiled more than 400 kilograms of 60 per cent enriched uranium at the Fordow facility. This was understood to be the last step in enrichment before Iran was able to produce a nuclear weapon. 'The world can never accept a nuclear-armed Iranian regime and today the United States military has taken proactive action to ensure that we never need to,' Ms Ley said. 'A nuclear armed Iranian regime would be a serious and direct threat to world peace and stability. The Coalition stands with the United States of America today. 'We can never allow the Iranian regime the capacity to enact its objectives of the destruction of the United States and Israel.' The Albanese government also issued a carefully worded statement on Sunday calling for 'de-escalation and diplomacy'. 'We have been clear that Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programme has been a threat to international peace and security," a government spokesperson said. 'The security situation in the region is highly volatile. We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.' The statement also warned Australians in the region to follow public safety advice and confirmed that DFAT was providing support. Former prime minister Scott Morrison told Sky News that the US strikes were 'necessary' and accused the Albanese government of 'ambiguity' in its response. 'This was a necessary event. There were no other options available to the (US) president,' Mr Morrison said. "It's time for some clarity (from the Albanese government). I think there's been far too much ambiguity about this from Australia." Defence Minister Richard Marles had refrained from giving an explicit position on any US strikes earlier on Sunday. 'We are worried about the prospect for escalation here and we've been urging de-escalation,' Mr Marles said prior to the attack. The US strikes mark a dramatic escalation in the volatile conflict between Israel and Iran. President Trump said the attacks were 'very successful' and declared that the underground Fordow facility was 'gone' after bunker-buster bombs were dropped. 'This was an amazing success tonight… They should make peace immediately or they'll get hit again,' he said.
7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
Quds Force commander killed in Israeli strike on hospital
Israel says it has killed a veteran Iranian commander during attacks by both sides that have included multiple Israeli strikes in southwestern Iran. The more than week-long air war between Israel and Iran continued with reports of strikes on an Iranian nuclear facility. The White House said it was weighing whether to back Israel in the conflict while Turkey, Russia and China have urged de-escalation. Two US officials on Saturday told Reuters B-2 bombers were being deployed to Guam. While they did not disclose details on numbers of B-2s, which can carry weapons designed to destroy targets deep underground, one of the officials said no orders had yet been given to move the aircraft beyond Guam. Israeli military officials said they had completed another series of strikes in southwestern Iran, having targeted dozens of military targets. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met UK, French and German counterparts, plus the European Union, on Friday in Geneva in search of a path back to diplomacy and a possible ceasefire. Proposals made by the European countries, however, were 'unrealistic,' the senior Iranian official told Reuters, saying that insistence on them would not bring agreement closer. 'In any case, Iran will review the European proposals in Tehran and present its responses in the next meeting,' the official said, adding that zero enrichment was a dead end and Iran would not negotiate over its defensive capabilities. Israel launched attacks on June 13, saying Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, while Iran says its atomic program is only for peaceful purposes. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons, which it neither confirms nor denies. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Saeed Izadi, who led the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' overseas arm, was killed in a strike on an apartment in the city of Qom. Calling his killing a 'major achievement for Israeli intelligence and the Air Force,' Katz said Izadi had financed and armed the Palestinian militant group Hamas ahead of its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip. The Revolutionary Guards said five of its members died in attacks on Khorramabad, according to Iranian media. They did not mention Izadi, who was on United States and United Kingdom sanctions lists, but said Israel had also attacked a building in Qom amid initial reports of a 16-year-old killed and two people injured. At least 430 people have been killed and 3500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks, Iranian state-run Nour News said, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed by Iranian missile attacks, according to local authorities, in the worst conflict between the longtime enemies. More than 450 Iranian missiles have been fired towards Israel, according to the Israeli prime minister's office. Israeli officials said 1272 people have been injured since the beginning of the hostilities, with 14 in serious condition. At a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) in Istanbul, Araqchi said Israel's aggression, which he said had indications of US involvement, should stop so Iran can 'come back to diplomacy'. 'It is obvious that I can't go to negotiations with the US when our people are under bombardments under the support of the US,' he told reporters on the sidelines, before meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. The top Iranian diplomat said US involvement in the conflict would be 'very dangerous'. US President Donald Trump has said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time 'to see whether or not people come to their senses,' he said. Gulf Co-operation Council ambassadors expressed concerns to United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi about the safety of nuclear facilities close to their countries and 'dangerous repercussions' of targeting them, Qatar state news agency said. Israel said it was attacking military infrastructure. Early on Saturday, air raid sirens were triggered across parts of central Israel and in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with missile interceptions visible over Tel Aviv and explosions echoing. An Iranian drone strike pierced a hole through the side of a two-storey residential building in northern Israel, according to the national emergency service. There were no reports of casualties. Those killed in Iran include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. Israel said it also killed a second commander of the Guards' overseas arm, whom it identified as Benham Shahriyari, during an overnight strike. Iranian Health Minister Mohammadreza Zafarqandi said Israel has attacked three hospitals during the conflict, killing two health workers and a child, and has targeted six ambulances, according to Fars. Asked about such reports, an Israeli military official said that only military targets were being struck, though there may have been collateral damage in some incidents. An Iranian missile hit a hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on Thursday.
West Australian
a day ago
- West Australian
Israel says it has hit southwestern Iran military sites
Israel says it has killed a veteran Iranian commander during attacks by both sides that have included multiple Israeli strikes in southwestern Iran. The more than week-long air war between Israel and Iran continued with reports of strikes on an Iranian nuclear facility. The White House said it was weighing whether to back Israel in the conflict while Turkey, Russia and China have urged de-escalation. Two US officials on Saturday told Reuters B-2 bombers were being deployed to Guam. While they did not disclose details on numbers of B-2s, which can carry weapons designed to destroy targets deep underground, one of the officials said no orders had yet been given to move the aircraft beyond Guam. Israeli military officials said they had completed another series of strikes in southwestern Iran, having targeted dozens of military targets. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met UK, French and German counterparts, plus the European Union, on Friday in Geneva in search of a path back to diplomacy and a possible ceasefire. Proposals made by the European countries, however, were "unrealistic," the senior Iranian official told Reuters, saying that insistence on them would not bring agreement closer. "In any case, Iran will review the European proposals in Tehran and present its responses in the next meeting," the official said, adding that zero enrichment was a dead end and Iran would not negotiate over its defensive capabilities. Israel launched attacks on June 13, saying Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, while Iran says its atomic program is only for peaceful purposes. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons, which it neither confirms nor denies. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Saeed Izadi, who led the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' overseas arm, was killed in a strike on an apartment in the city of Qom. Calling his killing a "major achievement for Israeli intelligence and the Air Force," Katz said Izadi had financed and armed the Palestinian militant group Hamas ahead of its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip. The Revolutionary Guards said five of its members died in attacks on Khorramabad, according to Iranian media. They did not mention Izadi, who was on United States and United Kingdom sanctions lists, but said Israel had also attacked a building in Qom amid initial reports of a 16-year-old killed and two people injured. At least 430 people have been killed and 3500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks, Iranian state-run Nour News said, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed by Iranian missile attacks, according to local authorities, in the worst conflict between the longtime enemies. More than 450 Iranian missiles have been fired towards Israel, according to the Israeli prime minister's office. Israeli officials said 1272 people have been injured since the beginning of the hostilities, with 14 in serious condition. At a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) in Istanbul, Araqchi said Israel's aggression, which he said had indications of US involvement, should stop so Iran can "come back to diplomacy". "It is obvious that I can't go to negotiations with the US when our people are under bombardments under the support of the US," he told reporters on the sidelines, before meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. The top Iranian diplomat said US involvement in the conflict would be "very dangerous". US President Donald Trump has said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses," he said. Gulf Co-operation Council ambassadors expressed concerns to United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi about the safety of nuclear facilities close to their countries and "dangerous repercussions" of targeting them, Qatar state news agency said. Israel said it was attacking military infrastructure. Early on Saturday, air raid sirens were triggered across parts of central Israel and in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with missile interceptions visible over Tel Aviv and explosions echoing. An Iranian drone strike pierced a hole through the side of a two-storey residential building in northern Israel, according to the national emergency service. There were no reports of casualties. Those killed in Iran include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. Israel said it also killed a second commander of the Guards' overseas arm, whom it identified as Benham Shahriyari, during an overnight strike. Iranian Health Minister Mohammadreza Zafarqandi said Israel has attacked three hospitals during the conflict, killing two health workers and a child, and has targeted six ambulances, according to Fars. Asked about such reports, an Israeli military official said that only military targets were being struck, though there may have been collateral damage in some incidents. An Iranian missile hit a hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on Thursday.
