‘Not party to the intelligence’: Albo avoids questions on legality of strikes which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, condemns planned mourning

Anthony Albanese has doubled down on his assertion that the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “would not be mourned” in Australia, while not answering questions about the legality of the US’ strikes against Iran.

Khamenei, who was the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989, was killed in US-Israeli military strikes in Tehran at the weekend – alongside other members in the Iranian leadership.

The strikes have plunged the Middle East into conflict and sent shockwaves through the international community, with Iran already retaliating by striking several Gulf States.

Australia was one of the first countries to back the strikes – with the Prime Minister, Deputy Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong releasing a joint statement reiterating their support.

“We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security,” the statement reads.

Celebrations have erupted in the wake of Khamenei’s death – welcoming the end of a brutal regime which oversaw state-sponsored terrorism, brutal crackdowns on protesters and bloodshed.

But while US President Donald Trump has urged Iranians to “rise up” and “seize control of your destiny”, questions remain about the legality of such strikes under international law.

Senator Wong earlier said the US and Israel should be left to explain such a legality – noting Australia was not participating in any attacks.

“Well, we’re obviously not party to the intelligence that both that the United States and the Israelis are referencing in their decisions,” she said.’

“That is why it is for them to explain the legal basis of this.”

“We do support action taken to ensure Iran does not have a nuclear weapon.”

On the ABC’s 7.30 Report on Monday night, Mr Albanese largely echoed Senator Wong’s comments while also not answering questions about whether there were any appropriate checks on Mr Trump’s power.

Mr Albanese said attacks had already occurred on Gulf States, on French forces stationed in Abu Dhabi and a British base in Cyprus in the wake of Khamenei’s death.

“I think this is a regime which has engaged in international terrorism support, including in Australia,” he said.

Asked by host Sarah Ferguson about the legality of such attacks, Mr Albanese claimed the federal government did not have access to the intelligence United States and Israel had “prior to the launch of these attacks”.

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“What we’ve seen with the recent joint statement of the United Kingdom, France and Germany is a concern about the escalation of these attacks by Iran on the region, including by parties which were certainly not part of this action on Iran,” he said.

Mr Albanese said Khamenei’s death “would not be mourned” and Australia had a “clear position” of supporting “this action”.

“And it is up to, of course, the Iranian people now to determine their own future,” he said.

“Of course I want to see their (the Ayatollahs and the Revolutionary Guard’s) power removed, because their power has been used not just for international acts but to oppress their own people.”

The Prime Minister also condemned public memorials for the Ayatollah as “not appropriate”.

“I think that, overwhelmingly, people won’t be participating,” he continued.

Ms Ferguson was also joined by Hillel Newman – Israel’s new ambassador to Australia – who told the program Israel had “full justification” with the act.

“We acted in order to remove two threats – the first one is the nuclear issue, and the second one of the ballistic missiles,” Mr Newman said.

“Iran was planning to build a stockpile of thousands of missiles and then launch them at one go. It’s very difficult for a country to survive such an attack.