Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pushed back against suggestions that Canberra is not doing enough in the Middle East, asserting that Australia has fulfilled every request made by its allies amid the escalating Iran conflict.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters, Albanese responded to comments from US President Donald Trump, who told Sky News Australia on Friday that he was \u201cvery surprised\u201d over Australia\u2019s actions and said Canberra \u201cshould get involved.\u201d The Australian prime minister emphasized that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open remains \u201ccritical\u201d and called on Iran to \u201cstop its attacks,\u201d while defending his government\u2019s contributions to regional security.<\/p>\n
Defense Minister Richard Marles provided further clarification, stating that Washington had requested Australian support in defending Gulf states. He noted that Australia deployed an E-7 Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to the region \u201cin response to a request from the United Arab Emirates,\u201d which he said \u201cvery much supports the defensive efforts that the United States was seeking.\u201d Marles also confirmed that Canberra had not received a request from Washington regarding a warship deployment specifically for the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
The exchange highlights differing expectations between the two allies regarding Australia\u2019s role in the widening conflict. Trump had expressed disappointment, noting that the US \u201calways say yes to them\u201d when Australia requests support. However, Albanese and Marles insisted that Australia remains actively engaged in defending Gulf states and has acted on all requests received.<\/p>\n
Regional tensions have continued to escalate since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, a campaign that has reportedly killed over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has responded with drone and missile attacks across the region and has effectively restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that normally handles approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day and roughly 20 percent of global liquefied natural gas trade.<\/p>\n
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