Australia Says UAE Defence Commitments Do Not Include Action Against Iran
The Australian government said its defence commitments to the United Arab Emirates do not include any direct military action against Iran, ABC News Australia reported. Canberra said its long-standing training and consultation relationship with the UAE has not changed. The issue surfaced in parliament after opposition questions.
The Australian government said its defence commitments to the United Arab Emirates do not amount to any direct military action against Iran. ABC News Australia reported that Canberra described its UAE relationship as one of training, consultation and information sharing. The statement followed opposition questions in parliament.
Australia's defence minister said the country's position on the Iran-Israel war has not changed and that the Australian Defence Force is not engaged in combat operations. The safety of Australian diplomatic and military personnel based in the UAE is being closely monitored, officials added. Travel advisories for citizens are being kept up to date.
The opposition has called on the government to be more transparent about existing defence arrangements with the UAE. ABC said parliament's intelligence committee may hold a closed session in the coming weeks. Iran has not directly commented on Australia's role in the region.
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