Australia has welcomed a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which offers a temporary pause in the conflict and a window for negotiations.
The president also noted that Iran had agreed to a “complete, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz,” while describing the regime’s proposal for 10-point peace plan as a “workable basis” for further negotiations.
The development follows earlier calls from Canberra for de-escalation, with the Labor government maintaining that restraint is essential as the situation evolves.
In a statement released on April 8, the government said it had been engaging with international partners to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stabilise supply chains via a diplomatic approach.
“Australia welcomes the agreement by the United States, Israel and Iran to a two-week ceasefire to negotiate a resolution to the conflict in the Middle East,” the statement read.
“We thank and support the work of negotiators, including Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, in advancing de-escalation efforts.
Albanese Responds To Trump’s Remarks
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also addressed recent comments by the U.S. president, which suggested potential strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure.Responding to Trump’s warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not agree to a deal, Albanese said: “I don’t think it’s appropriate to use language such as that, from the President of the United States.”
“The potential of damage to civilian infrastructure in Iran was an extraordinary statement to make, and also the impact that would have arisen from an escalation from Iran’s response would have led to greater global economic damage,” he told Sky News Australia.
Albanese said the conflict, while distant, was already affecting Australia economically.
When asked whether Trump’s statements could amount to a war crime, Albanese said: “It’s a long step between a tweet and that suggestion.”
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has expressed support for the two-week ceasefire, highlighting its importance to the world’s economy.
“We absolutely welcome the ceasefire. We want to see it hold, and we want to see ships moving again,” he told reporters.
Opposition Calls For Clearer Position
The government’s response has also prompted calls from the opposition for greater clarity on its position regarding the conflict and U.S. rhetoric.Nationals Leader Matt Canavan said Australia should urge the United States to de-escalate tensions.
“It’s incumbent on us to implore our friends in the United States to de-escalate this and de-escalate it fast,” he told ABC Radio.
“It’s gotten out of hand very quickly, as these things often do ... now is the time for Australia to, and the prime minister, to make it very clear that we can’t support this type of approach to any kind of conflict.”
