Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: First I want to say to Australians in the region and their families and friends that I understand, we understand, how distressing and challenging this time is, and we will do all that we can to provide you with information and to support you. The situation is very challenging, and we have large numbers of Australians in the region. I have today asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure that our registration process is opened to people in the UAE and Qatar. That is on top of yesterday, I announced that we would open that registration process to Australians in Iran and in Israel. What I would say is this is a challenging situation. The Government will continue to do all that we can to support Australians in this situation. Happy to take questions.
Journalist: Do you agree with the way the United States went about executing the Supreme Leader?
Foreign Minister: Ultimately, these strikes are a matter for the United States and Israel to explain. No one mourns the death of the Supreme Leader, this is a man who was responsible for a regime that brutally murdered its own people in an attempt to retain authority. This is a regime, led by this man, which has sponsored terrorism, sponsored proxies who have engaged in terrorism in the region. This is a regime which has been part of organising attacks on Australian soil. So we do not mourn his death.
Journalist: How many Australians are in the conflict and when you say that support, does that include repatriation, how far does that support extend?
Foreign Minister: As I said in my opening, we have about 115,000 Australians in the region. So that is a lot of people. The best way to get them home would be for commercial flights to return, because that is at scale. Obviously, at the moment, airspace is closed or only intermittently open, so flights are disrupted and flights aren't available. As soon as things become available, we will certainly be providing that information to Australians.
Journalist: Would the government consider repatriating citizens?
Foreign Minister: Well, we will certainly provide the information. As I said, given the numbers, the fastest way to get people home would be if commercial flights recommence. So we want to see whether that commences. I think that most, most our likemindeds are in a similar position given the numbers of people in the region.
Journalist: While you're waiting for those commercial flights, is anyone planning underway on repatriation?
Foreign Minister: We are always looking at home we might support Australians. I would make the point that I've made a number of times, there's conflict in the region, we've seen loss of life across the region, and air space is not open. So whether or not it is an Australian flight or a commercial flight, the flights are not able to occur.
Journalist: Have you been made aware of any evidence that Iran was preparing for a nuclear strike?
Foreign Minister: What we do know as an international community is Iran has consistently failed to comply with the decisions of the Security Council in relation to its nuclear program. We know that the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is the nuclear watchdog, has found Iran – has given evidence about the enrichment stage at which Iran has reached, and they have also said that Iran has refused to fully comply with the inspection regime. So I think we all understand the intention behind the regime.
Journalist: The UK is bussing people out, would we do the [indistinct]?
Foreign Minister: Look, that was put to me earlier this morning, again what I'd say is we have 115,000 people and that is a lot of people to try and assist, and the best way of getting people out would be for commercial flights to resume so we will look at when that is likely, we are obviously engaging with the airlines on this. Thank you very much.