Anthony Albanese faces call to ‘engage’ on Iran war after US midterms from Nationals leader Matt Canavan
A senior Coalition voice is calling on Anthony Albanese to ‘engage’ more with Donald Trump on Iran, as the world watches to see what the US President will do next.
Nationals leader Matt Canavan has called on Anthony Albanese to clarify what the Trump administration’s aims are with Iran, saying Australia “clearly has an interest in seeing peace” as the economic fallout adds to inflation pressures.
American voters turned out in record-breaking number this week to deal a massive blow to US President Donald Trump in midterm elections, with his Democratic opponents winning control of both houses of congress as well as a majority of state governorships.
Analysts have put the result down to rising cost-of-living exacerbated by the conflict with Iran – an assessment Mr Trump has partly agreed with while declaring he would still strike the Islamic regime if he had his time again.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Senator Canavan said “there was an admirable aim in making sure Iran didn’t get a nuclear bomb” but that talk of regime change and backing anti-government movements “muddied” US-Israeli campaign.
“I think most of all, the aims need to be made clearer,” Senator Canavan told ABC’s Insiders.
“And I think the lesson of our generation – perhaps of all generations – is when you have very unclear war aims, it often gets very, very messy.
“We just need to, as a friend of the US, engage and ask to make sure these aims are clear.
“And we do what we need to do to resolve the conflict sooner than later.”
Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed the conflict would end soon since launching joint strikes with Israel in February.
The attacks killed dozens of senior Iranian officials, including the former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was replaced by his son Mojtaba Khamenei.
But after several attempts at failed peace talks, fighting has only spread to neighbouring countries, straining relations between the US and its Middle East allies and slapping pressure on global oil supplies.
Government hopes US midterms spells end to war
Speaking to News24’s Sunday agenda, cabinet minister Jason Clare said the “obvious” message from the US elections was that “most American want the war to end”.
He pointed to long-time supporters of Mr Trump’s Republican Party as evidence.
“The real question here is: what does it mean for the war in Iraq? Does it accelerate the end of it? From an Australian point of view, we hope so,” Mr Clare said.
“We didn’t start the war but we’re copping it, just like Americans are.”
He added that unlike the US, Australia “can’t stop it”.
He also said the relationship between Canberra and Washington remained “strong”, and that it was “deeper than who’s in the White House or who’s in the Lodge”.
“But I think the Prime Minister has demonstrated his ability to form a very strong relationship with President Trump,” Mr Clare said, adding that the two leaders were set to meet up to three times during Mr Albanese’s upcoming foreign summit blitz.
Originally published as Albanese faces call to ‘engage’ on Iran war after US midterms
