SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran on Wednesday but said US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s civilian infrastructure had not been “appropriate.”
Trump had warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran failed to meet his deadline for a deal.
Albanese said: “I don’t think it’s appropriate to use language such as that from the president of the United States, and I think it will cause some concern.”
But he welcomed news that the US and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire, barely an hour before Trump’s deadline expired. “What we have called for is a de-escalation, and that is what has occurred, and that’s a good thing,” the Australian leader said.
“This is positive news. We’ve been calling for a de-escalation for some time. We want to see a resolution of the conflict.”
Speaking to national broadcaster ABC, Australia’s top diplomat Penny Wong also condemned Trump’s remarks.
“I don’t think anyone should be threatening the destruction of a civilization,” she said.
“The damage that is happening to the global economy, to global energy markets, means that the world does need this ceasefire to hold,” Wong said.
She also rejected the Israeli government’s claims the ceasefire did not apply to Lebanon, where Israel’s attacks have killed more than 1,500 people and displaced over a million.
