Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemns mourning of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Australia
People have gathered in various locations in the Middle East to mourn Ayatollah Khamenei. (Karar Essa/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sidestepped questions about the legality of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, while also saying the public mourning of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Australia is inappropriate.
The weekend strikes on Tehran that killed Khamenei and others in the Iranian leadership may have been undertaken outside of international law, with US President Donald Trump using Iran's nuclear program as his reason.
The strikes came nearly nine months after the US struck Tehran in June 2025, giving rise to questions about whether Australia, as a key US ally, is concerned about Mr Trump acting without any check on the power of his office.
US President Donald Trump has said Iran's nuclear program was one reason for the strikes. (The White House/Social Media/Handout via Reuters)
The prime minister parried the question by speaking of Iran's actions in response to the recent wave of attacks.
"The Iranians have shown over the last three days why they remain a threat to peace and stability in the region," Mr Albanese told 7.30.
"We've seen even in recent hours attacks on a British base in Cyprus, on French forces stationed in Abu Dhabi and on the Gulf states … a seemingly endless series of attacks including in residential areas, in areas that are frequented by tourists in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
Buildings across the Middle East have been hit by Iranian attacks, including this one in Bahrain. (Anadolu via Getty Images)
"This is a regime which has engaged in international terrorism support, including of course here in Australia with at least two antisemitic attacks, including the financing and promotion of the attack on the Adass synagogue in Melbourne."
Asked if he could explain if the US had a legal justification, Mr Albanese echoed the lines of Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles on the issue.
"That's a matter for the United States … we don't have access to the intelligence that the United States and Israel had prior to the launch of these attacks," Mr Albanese said.
However, Israel's newly appointed ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman told 7.30 that Israel had years of justification.
"There is tremendous justification,"Mr Newman said.
Israel's new ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman. (LinkedIn: Embassy of Israel in Australia)
"Iran has been a brutal rogue regime that has called [for] death to America, death to Israel, and acted upon this call for the past few decades since it was re-established, since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
"It has acted in many ways to try and annihilate the state of Israel and kill as many people as possible.
"This is an armed conflict, which is going on for decades since Iran declared itself that it's an enemy of Israel."
Asked if there was an imminent threat as Mr Trump had said, Mr Newman said there was, both when it came to nuclear and ballistic weapons, but denied that Israel wanted regime change.
"Regime change hopefully can be a result, but that's not the clear objective," he said.
Mr Albanese also indicated he was for regime change in Iran — particularly when it came to the power of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are listed as a terrorist organisation by Australia. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The IRGC was established in 1979 and while it operates alongside the nation's military, it answers directly to the supreme leader.
It is composed of ground, naval and air force troops and includes an internal security paramilitary militia known as Basij, and also has an external operations force called the Quds Force, which is focused on special operations outside Iranian territory.
"We declared the IRGC as a terrorist organisation of the state, and they've engaged in state-sponsored terrorism," Mr Albanese said.
"So of course I want to see their power removed because their power has been used not just for international acts, but of course to oppress their own people."
Mourning Khamenei not appropriate
Anthony Albanese does not want to see public mourning of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (ABC News: Simon Beardsell)
Mr Albanese had previously said Khamenei would not be mourned in his death, but across the Middle East many have mourned the now former supreme leader.
In Iran, while many have celebrated his death, thousands have also mourned.
In other allied nations such as Iraq and Pakistan citizens have mourned, while others have attacked US buildings.
Loading...In Australia many in the Iranian diaspora have celebrated the death of Khamenei, but today it was reported that four organisations had posted obituaries and public memorials to honour him.
Mr Albanese decried those plans and said those memorials should not go ahead.
"I don't think they're appropriate," Mr Albanese told 7.30.
"I think that overwhelmingly people won't be participating.
"Overwhelmingly, what Australians want is, and the Australian covenant, no matter where people are from, is that if they have any hatred or prejudice, it's left at the customs hall.
"That's the Australian covenant of people who come here because we are a country that believes in human rights, that believes in democracy, that believes in freedom, and we of course want to see that right around the world.
"It is up to the people of Iran now to determine their future. And over the coming days and weeks and the period ahead, we await what comes."
Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV