Albanese says Ali Khamenei ‘won’t be mourned’ as he reiterates Australia’s support for US-Israeli strikes

Anthony Albanese says Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei “won’t be mourned” as he reiterated Australia’s support for US-Israeli strikes, accusing Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons, sponsoring proxy forces, and carrying out brutal internal repression.

Iranian State media confirmed Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in the strikes, plunging the country into 40 days of mourning as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards vowed retaliation over his death.

Speaking after a National Security Committee meeting on Sunday, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Australia had no advance notice of the strikes unleashed on key Iranian targets, but used careful language to explain its support and avoid justifying it.

When questioned about the legality of the strikes, both insisted it was a matter for US and Israel counterparts to explain.

“Those judgements and statements for the United States and for those involved directly in the attack,” the PM told reporters in Sydney.

When asked if there was “a moral case for this intervention”, the PM added that Australia backed Iranians “standing up for their human rights”

US President Donald Trump insisted action needed to be taken against Iran’s nuclear build up despite claiming America’s mid-2025 strikes on its nuclear program in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan had already been “obliterated”.

But US and allies have notably, publicly widened their criticism to Iran’s regional proxy activity — with Mr Albanese pointing to 2024 regime-orchestrated attacks on home soil, saying Australia had “not been immune” to the regime.

“What I would say is that the threat to international peace and security of the Iranian regime is real,” Mr Albanese said.

“The fact that they orchestrated attacks here in Australia on the other side of the world underlines the threat that this regime presented to the rule of law and to international norms of behaviour.”

Senator Wong didn’t link the strikes to an attempt to topple the regime by force but instead called for Iranians to determine their future — saying “ultimately any regime change must be determined by the people of Iran”.

While appealing for a “resumption of dialogue and diplomacy” and for “all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law”, Senator Wong also denounced the regime’s legitimacy.

“For decades we know the Iranian regime has been a destabilising force through its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, support for armed proxies, and brutal acts of violence and intimidation,” she said.

“A regime that requires the murder of its own people to maintain authority is a regime without legitimacy.

“Australia supports action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. And preventing Iran from continuing to threaten international peace.”

She added that “no one would mourn the passing of Ayatollah Khamenei”.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor also described the confirmation of Ayatollah Khamenei’s death as “welcome news” and thanked the “decisiveness and moral fortitude” of the US and Israel.

“Not only for the people of Iran, but for the world. His death is a great setback for tyranny and leap forward for the cause of freedom,” the Liberal leader said.

“This is a critical moment for democracies and countries committed to the cause of freedom. It’s not a time to sit on the sidelines, but instead, to rally together.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Australia “unequivocally stands with the Iranian people” and supported the US taking action to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear weapons

“Iran has been in breach of nuclear agreements for a very long time. It’s critically important, critically important, that Iran does not end up with nuclear weapons,” he told Weekend Sunrise.

An emergency session of the UN Security Council was divided over the strikes on Sunday, with Iran labelling the attack a “war crime,” the US defended it as lawful and Gulf states condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes.

US ambassador Mike Waltz said it was “not a matter of politics, it’s a matter of global security” and added that “the United States is taking lawful actions”.

Iranian counterpart Amir Saeid Iravani denounced it as a “war crime”, noting the string of civilian deaths including reports of more than 100 children killed at Minab School in southern Iran.

Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks have hit multiple countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, with the death of Ayatollah Khamenei raising fears it could trigger a wider regional war.

Senator said Australia was in contact with international partners and described the situation as “volatile and risky” and urged Iran to “cease” its retaliatory attacks.

There was no confirmation that Australia would offer military support, with Senator Wong saying “you would not expect us to participate” when asked if the government could rule out sending troops.

WA Liberal MP and former SAS veteran Andrew Hastie was noncommittal when asked if Australia should provide a supporting military role but expressed concerns for personnel in the region.

“My first concern last night when I saw footage of a missile hitting Bahrain was for the ADF personnel. I’d hesitate to comment without any information,” he told Sky’s Sunday Agenda.

“There’s a lot of risk and as a veteran of the so-called Forever Wars, I’m very suspicious about regime change by force.”

He described Iran as “an enemy of Australia” which has “conducted terrorism on our shores” and speculated that the attacks could also be used to serve as a signal to US rivals about its military superiority.

“Iran has a terrible regime — they’re a proxy, they’re underwritten by Chinese and Russian tech,” he said.

“So, this is also a demonstration by President Trump that he is reestablishing deterrence and he’s also going to send a message to some of his other geopolitical competitors that US military technology is superior.”

The attacks on international airports and closures of air zones in the region plunged the global flight network into chaos at the weekend, leaving Australians stranded across the globe.

Senator Wong couldn’t confirm how many Australians are thought to be in the region and now stranded due to the closure of flight zones and expansion of Do Not Travel alerts across several nations.

“The Department of Foreign urgently seeking to confirm whether any Australians have been affected,” she said.

Senator Wong urged Australians in Iran and Israel to access an official register portal opened on Sunday morning and a crisis communications line if they seek to leave.

She acknowledged it could be an “extremely distressing” time for Australians in the region and for their families on home soil.