Australia will provide defensive military assistance to The Gulf: Albanese

Australia will grant a request from the United Arab Emirates to deploy military assets to the Middle East as regional tensions escalate.

An E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and the Australian Defence Force personnel needed to support its operation will be deployed to The Gulf on Tuesday, Anthony Albanese told reporters in Canberra.

“In responding to requests following a conversation that I had with the President (of the UAE), and other requests, Australia will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail to the Gulf to help protect and defend Australians and other civilians,” the Prime Minister said on Tuesday.

“The Wedgetail will provide long-range reconnaissance capability, which will help to protect and secure the airspace above The Gulf.”

The military asset will be deployed with ADF personnel for an initial four weeks in support of the “collective self-defence of Gulf nations”.

Mr Albanese reiterated that Australia was not taking “offensive action against Iran” and would not deploy Australian troops on the ground.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said 85 ADF personnel – a “normal” sized crew – would be sent to support the Wedgetail.

“We have also received a request from the UAE to supply advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, and we will be supplying a number of those to the UAE as well,” he said.

“These are defensive weapons, and I want to make that clear.

“That is the basis upon which our personnel are being deployed and this equipment is being deployed.

“It is for the defence of the countries of The Gulf, in particular UAE, where there are significant numbers of Australians who reside.”

Mr Albanese was later asked how he would explain his decision to the Australian people.

“That are 24,000 Australians in the United Arab Emirates, that we have a close relationship with the UAE, that we’ve been asked for support for their defence in what is a country that is receiving an unprovoked attack that endangers their citizens but also endangers Australian citizens,” he said.

He later emphasised Australia were not “protagonists” in the conflict.

“Our involvement is purely defensive, and it’s in defence of Australians who are in the region, as well as in defence of our friends in the United Arab Emirates, who are good friends of Australia and Australians. We have a free-trade agreement with them that’s opened up the markets of the Middle East,” Mr Albanese said.

He also refused to divulge whether an off-ramp for the conflict was discussed during an overnight phone call with US President Donald Trump, saying the conversation covered “broad events” despite repeatedly being pressed by reporters.

The war in the Middle East erupted after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.

Retaliatory strikes were then launched on US air bases located in neighbouring Gulf countries and have dragged several countries into the widening conflict.

Australia active in the war

Reacting to the announcement, opposition frontbencher Dan Tehan said Australia’s assistance has made it an active participant in the Middle East war.

“I think by the very nature of that action, yes, we are,” he told ABC radio.

“And we’re doing that because we want to keep Australians safe and we want to see an end to this evil Iranian (regime).

“We want to be doing our bit to keep the region safe and obviously bring this conflict to an end.

“The best thing that can happen now is for the Iranian regime to say enough’s enough.”

More to come