YDNEY – Australia emerged as one of the earliest and strongest supporters of the US-Israeli strike on Iran that unfolded on February 28, endorsing the attack on Tehran’s military targets and even signaling hope for the Iranian regime’s downfall.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese swiftly backed the operation, citing Australian intelligence linking Iran to two antisemitic attacks on Jewish sites in 2024, including the firebombing of Melbourne’s Adass synagogue. This prompted Canberra’s unprecedented expulsion of Iran’s ambassador in August 2025, the first since World War II and designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity.
“This regime has fueled international terrorism, right here in Australia with those attacks,” Albanese told ABC News on March 2. While ruling out direct military involvement and noting no prior warning of the strike, he expressed optimism that it could end Tehran’s “ugly” rule, especially after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the assault.
Australia’s 85,000-strong Iranian diaspora, long vocal against the regime, erupted in celebration. Thousands rallied nationwide on March 1, with Brisbane resident Melika Jahanian telling the Courier Mail it marked a “Khamenei-less world.” She noted every Iranian family has suffered under the regime, either through deaths or imprisonment.
Neighboring New Zealand offered more measured support. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon initially “acknowledged” the strike but soon aligned with Australia, pledging backing for actions to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, a key goal cited by US President Donald Trump.
Australia’s firm stance persists despite legal debates over the strike’s violation of international law without UN Security Council approval. Albanese deferred to US and Israeli intelligence on legality, prioritizing the longstanding alliance amid AUKUS submarine deals and avoiding clashes with Trump.
Domestic politics factored in too. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor hailed the strikes as a chance for Iranian freedom, slamming the regime as “authoritarian, anti-Semitic and abhorrent.” Critics, however, fault Albanese’s government for leaving 115,000 Australians stranded in the Middle East due to closed airspace over the UAE, Qatar, Israel, and Bahrain. Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged reliance on resuming commercial flights.
Albanese, a 30-year political veteran often chided for lacking resolve, such as after the 2025 Bondi terror attack on Jews, opted for a bold position. Yet the strikes’ political dividends will depend on Iran’s unpredictable trajectory.