'Deeply concerned': Australia urges calm in Middle East
Australia will continue to press the case for a de-escalation of a tit-for-tat bombing campaign between Iran and Israel amid fears of an escalation of the conflict, the acting prime minister says.
Israel and Iran began trading missile blows on Friday after the Israeli military launched attacks with the stated aim of wiping out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Iran vowed to "open the gates of hell" in retaliation, with the conflict continuing into Sunday.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles expressed concern that the bombing could escalate into a larger conflict in the region.
"We're all deeply concerned about the potential for where this now goes in terms of escalation and broadening out into a wider conflict, and that's why we are urging for diplomacy and dialogue in this moment," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
"That is why we are exercising our voice, along with countries like the United States, like France, Germany, the UK, to urge for diplomacy and dialogue."
The missile attacks are set to be a key focus of talks at the G7 summit in Canada, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is attending.
Iran's health ministry said 224 people have been killed in the attacks since Friday.
Spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said on social media that 1277 other people were hospitalised, and asserted that more than 90 per cent of the casualties were civilians.
Israeli rescue teams combed through the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by Iranian missiles on Sunday, using sniffer dogs and heavy excavators to look for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, raising the two-day toll to 13.
Mr Marles said Australian diplomatic staff in Iran and Israel have all been accounted for, as have military personnel in the region.
He reiterated safety warnings to Australians in the Middle East, with the situation remaining volatile.
"There are actually thousands of Australians who are in both Iran and Israel, the travel advice for both Israel and Iran right now is do not travel," he said.
"Our diplomats who are engaged, who are in both our embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv, are safe and are all accounted for, but we will continue to monitor their safety."
Despite the calls for de-escalation, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said Israel was doing the world a favour, given Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.
"If we were in Israel's shoes, we would not tolerate a country nearby us getting a nuclear weapon," he told Today.
"And so I think Israel is trying to stop that from happening - that's a good thing for humanity, because these guys are the worst regime anywhere on the planet."
Mr Marles said Israel had a "right to self defence" following the attacks.
"We understand the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents, but right now the focus has to be on diplomacy and dialogue," he said.
Australia will continue to press the case for a de-escalation of a tit-for-tat bombing campaign between Iran and Israel amid fears of an escalation of the conflict, the acting prime minister says.
Israel and Iran began trading missile blows on Friday after the Israeli military launched attacks with the stated aim of wiping out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Iran vowed to "open the gates of hell" in retaliation, with the conflict continuing into Sunday.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles expressed concern that the bombing could escalate into a larger conflict in the region.
"We're all deeply concerned about the potential for where this now goes in terms of escalation and broadening out into a wider conflict, and that's why we are urging for diplomacy and dialogue in this moment," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
"That is why we are exercising our voice, along with countries like the United States, like France, Germany, the UK, to urge for diplomacy and dialogue."
The missile attacks are set to be a key focus of talks at the G7 summit in Canada, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is attending.
Iran's health ministry said 224 people have been killed in the attacks since Friday.
Spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said on social media that 1277 other people were hospitalised, and asserted that more than 90 per cent of the casualties were civilians.
Israeli rescue teams combed through the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by Iranian missiles on Sunday, using sniffer dogs and heavy excavators to look for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, raising the two-day toll to 13.
Mr Marles said Australian diplomatic staff in Iran and Israel have all been accounted for, as have military personnel in the region.
He reiterated safety warnings to Australians in the Middle East, with the situation remaining volatile.
"There are actually thousands of Australians who are in both Iran and Israel, the travel advice for both Israel and Iran right now is do not travel," he said.
"Our diplomats who are engaged, who are in both our embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv, are safe and are all accounted for, but we will continue to monitor their safety."
Despite the calls for de-escalation, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said Israel was doing the world a favour, given Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.
"If we were in Israel's shoes, we would not tolerate a country nearby us getting a nuclear weapon," he told Today.
"And so I think Israel is trying to stop that from happening - that's a good thing for humanity, because these guys are the worst regime anywhere on the planet."
Mr Marles said Israel had a "right to self defence" following the attacks.
"We understand the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents, but right now the focus has to be on diplomacy and dialogue," he said.
Australia will continue to press the case for a de-escalation of a tit-for-tat bombing campaign between Iran and Israel amid fears of an escalation of the conflict, the acting prime minister says.
Israel and Iran began trading missile blows on Friday after the Israeli military launched attacks with the stated aim of wiping out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Iran vowed to "open the gates of hell" in retaliation, with the conflict continuing into Sunday.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles expressed concern that the bombing could escalate into a larger conflict in the region.
"We're all deeply concerned about the potential for where this now goes in terms of escalation and broadening out into a wider conflict, and that's why we are urging for diplomacy and dialogue in this moment," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
"That is why we are exercising our voice, along with countries like the United States, like France, Germany, the UK, to urge for diplomacy and dialogue."
The missile attacks are set to be a key focus of talks at the G7 summit in Canada, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is attending.
Iran's health ministry said 224 people have been killed in the attacks since Friday.
Spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said on social media that 1277 other people were hospitalised, and asserted that more than 90 per cent of the casualties were civilians.
Israeli rescue teams combed through the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by Iranian missiles on Sunday, using sniffer dogs and heavy excavators to look for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, raising the two-day toll to 13.
Mr Marles said Australian diplomatic staff in Iran and Israel have all been accounted for, as have military personnel in the region.
He reiterated safety warnings to Australians in the Middle East, with the situation remaining volatile.
"There are actually thousands of Australians who are in both Iran and Israel, the travel advice for both Israel and Iran right now is do not travel," he said.
"Our diplomats who are engaged, who are in both our embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv, are safe and are all accounted for, but we will continue to monitor their safety."
Despite the calls for de-escalation, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said Israel was doing the world a favour, given Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.
"If we were in Israel's shoes, we would not tolerate a country nearby us getting a nuclear weapon," he told Today.
"And so I think Israel is trying to stop that from happening - that's a good thing for humanity, because these guys are the worst regime anywhere on the planet."
Mr Marles said Israel had a "right to self defence" following the attacks.
"We understand the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents, but right now the focus has to be on diplomacy and dialogue," he said.
Australia will continue to press the case for a de-escalation of a tit-for-tat bombing campaign between Iran and Israel amid fears of an escalation of the conflict, the acting prime minister says.
Israel and Iran began trading missile blows on Friday after the Israeli military launched attacks with the stated aim of wiping out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Iran vowed to "open the gates of hell" in retaliation, with the conflict continuing into Sunday.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles expressed concern that the bombing could escalate into a larger conflict in the region.
"We're all deeply concerned about the potential for where this now goes in terms of escalation and broadening out into a wider conflict, and that's why we are urging for diplomacy and dialogue in this moment," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
"That is why we are exercising our voice, along with countries like the United States, like France, Germany, the UK, to urge for diplomacy and dialogue."
The missile attacks are set to be a key focus of talks at the G7 summit in Canada, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is attending.
Iran's health ministry said 224 people have been killed in the attacks since Friday.
Spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said on social media that 1277 other people were hospitalised, and asserted that more than 90 per cent of the casualties were civilians.
Israeli rescue teams combed through the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by Iranian missiles on Sunday, using sniffer dogs and heavy excavators to look for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, raising the two-day toll to 13.
Mr Marles said Australian diplomatic staff in Iran and Israel have all been accounted for, as have military personnel in the region.
He reiterated safety warnings to Australians in the Middle East, with the situation remaining volatile.
"There are actually thousands of Australians who are in both Iran and Israel, the travel advice for both Israel and Iran right now is do not travel," he said.
"Our diplomats who are engaged, who are in both our embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv, are safe and are all accounted for, but we will continue to monitor their safety."
Despite the calls for de-escalation, Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said Israel was doing the world a favour, given Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.
"If we were in Israel's shoes, we would not tolerate a country nearby us getting a nuclear weapon," he told Today.
"And so I think Israel is trying to stop that from happening - that's a good thing for humanity, because these guys are the worst regime anywhere on the planet."
Mr Marles said Israel had a "right to self defence" following the attacks.
"We understand the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents, but right now the focus has to be on diplomacy and dialogue," he said.
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The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling and transportation. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets". It called the UK "an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the "vandalism" as "disgraceful" in a post on X. Britain's defence ministry confirmed the incident, saying: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets." Planes from Brize Norton, about 100km northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East. The UK has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran war started a week ago for what Starmer called "contingency support". Iran has threatened to attack US, French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes. The defence ministry and police are investigating. with Reuters British police are searching for suspects after pro-Palestinian activists claimed to have broken into a Royal Air Force Base and damaged two planes with red paint. The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling and transportation. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets". It called the UK "an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the "vandalism" as "disgraceful" in a post on X. 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The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refuelling and transportation. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said that "despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets". It called the UK "an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East". Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the "vandalism" as "disgraceful" in a post on X. Britain's defence ministry confirmed the incident, saying: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets." Planes from Brize Norton, about 100km northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East. The UK has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran war started a week ago for what Starmer called "contingency support". Iran has threatened to attack US, French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes. The defence ministry and police are investigating. with Reuters
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"There is no room for negotiations with the US until Israeli aggression stops," Araqchi was quoted as saying on Iranian state TV on Friday. The E3 have in past talks with Iran suggested it keep some uranium enrichment but accept extremely strict international inspections of its nuclear activities. Trump has demanded zero enrichment and French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to echo that call on Friday, saying any new deal needed to go towards zero enrichment for Iran. The main message Europeans will pass to Araqchi is that the US has signalled readiness for direct talks, but that Iran must give a serious signal, the two European diplomats said, without defining what the signal should be. Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has spoken to Araqchi several times since last week, sources say. While diplomats did not expect a breakthrough in Geneva, they said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped the nuclear issue would remain unresolved given that Tehran would still retain the scientific know-how. Trump has said he will decide within two weeks whether to join Israeli strikes. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. European foreign ministers will tell their Iranian counterpart that the US is open to direct talks even as it considers joining Israeli strikes intended to smash Tehran's nuclear capacity, diplomats say before a meeting in Geneva. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi would be told that Iran must send a "clear signal", two diplomats told Reuters, with pressure mounting on Tehran to agree tough curbs on its nuclear program to prevent the potential development of an atomic weapon. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to several Western counterparts before the meeting in Switzerland, the diplomats said, indicating readiness to engage directly with Tehran. Washington did not confirm that though broadcaster CNN quoted a US official saying President Donald Trump supported diplomacy from allies that could bring Iran closer to a deal. Tehran, however, has repeatedly said it will not talk to the Trump administration until Israeli attacks end. The ministers from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, plus the European Union's foreign policy chief, were meeting separately on Friday before planned face-to-face talks with Araqchi. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," a European diplomat said. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst-case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The talks were due for mid-afternoon in Geneva, where an initial accord between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for sanctions lifting was struck in 2013 before a comprehensive deal in 2015. Separate talks between Iran and the US collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "There is no room for negotiations with the US until Israeli aggression stops," Araqchi was quoted as saying on Iranian state TV on Friday. The E3 have in past talks with Iran suggested it keep some uranium enrichment but accept extremely strict international inspections of its nuclear activities. Trump has demanded zero enrichment and French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to echo that call on Friday, saying any new deal needed to go towards zero enrichment for Iran. The main message Europeans will pass to Araqchi is that the US has signalled readiness for direct talks, but that Iran must give a serious signal, the two European diplomats said, without defining what the signal should be. Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has spoken to Araqchi several times since last week, sources say. While diplomats did not expect a breakthrough in Geneva, they said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped the nuclear issue would remain unresolved given that Tehran would still retain the scientific know-how. Trump has said he will decide within two weeks whether to join Israeli strikes. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. European foreign ministers will tell their Iranian counterpart that the US is open to direct talks even as it considers joining Israeli strikes intended to smash Tehran's nuclear capacity, diplomats say before a meeting in Geneva. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi would be told that Iran must send a "clear signal", two diplomats told Reuters, with pressure mounting on Tehran to agree tough curbs on its nuclear program to prevent the potential development of an atomic weapon. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to several Western counterparts before the meeting in Switzerland, the diplomats said, indicating readiness to engage directly with Tehran. Washington did not confirm that though broadcaster CNN quoted a US official saying President Donald Trump supported diplomacy from allies that could bring Iran closer to a deal. Tehran, however, has repeatedly said it will not talk to the Trump administration until Israeli attacks end. The ministers from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, plus the European Union's foreign policy chief, were meeting separately on Friday before planned face-to-face talks with Araqchi. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," a European diplomat said. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst-case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The talks were due for mid-afternoon in Geneva, where an initial accord between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for sanctions lifting was struck in 2013 before a comprehensive deal in 2015. Separate talks between Iran and the US collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "There is no room for negotiations with the US until Israeli aggression stops," Araqchi was quoted as saying on Iranian state TV on Friday. The E3 have in past talks with Iran suggested it keep some uranium enrichment but accept extremely strict international inspections of its nuclear activities. Trump has demanded zero enrichment and French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to echo that call on Friday, saying any new deal needed to go towards zero enrichment for Iran. The main message Europeans will pass to Araqchi is that the US has signalled readiness for direct talks, but that Iran must give a serious signal, the two European diplomats said, without defining what the signal should be. Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has spoken to Araqchi several times since last week, sources say. While diplomats did not expect a breakthrough in Geneva, they said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped the nuclear issue would remain unresolved given that Tehran would still retain the scientific know-how. Trump has said he will decide within two weeks whether to join Israeli strikes. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. European foreign ministers will tell their Iranian counterpart that the US is open to direct talks even as it considers joining Israeli strikes intended to smash Tehran's nuclear capacity, diplomats say before a meeting in Geneva. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi would be told that Iran must send a "clear signal", two diplomats told Reuters, with pressure mounting on Tehran to agree tough curbs on its nuclear program to prevent the potential development of an atomic weapon. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to several Western counterparts before the meeting in Switzerland, the diplomats said, indicating readiness to engage directly with Tehran. Washington did not confirm that though broadcaster CNN quoted a US official saying President Donald Trump supported diplomacy from allies that could bring Iran closer to a deal. Tehran, however, has repeatedly said it will not talk to the Trump administration until Israeli attacks end. The ministers from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, plus the European Union's foreign policy chief, were meeting separately on Friday before planned face-to-face talks with Araqchi. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," a European diplomat said. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst-case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The talks were due for mid-afternoon in Geneva, where an initial accord between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for sanctions lifting was struck in 2013 before a comprehensive deal in 2015. Separate talks between Iran and the US collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "There is no room for negotiations with the US until Israeli aggression stops," Araqchi was quoted as saying on Iranian state TV on Friday. The E3 have in past talks with Iran suggested it keep some uranium enrichment but accept extremely strict international inspections of its nuclear activities. Trump has demanded zero enrichment and French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to echo that call on Friday, saying any new deal needed to go towards zero enrichment for Iran. The main message Europeans will pass to Araqchi is that the US has signalled readiness for direct talks, but that Iran must give a serious signal, the two European diplomats said, without defining what the signal should be. Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has spoken to Araqchi several times since last week, sources say. While diplomats did not expect a breakthrough in Geneva, they said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped the nuclear issue would remain unresolved given that Tehran would still retain the scientific know-how. Trump has said he will decide within two weeks whether to join Israeli strikes. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.
