Safeguarding against missile and drone attacks and relieving pressure on the Strait of Hormuz could be tasks for Australian forces if they are deployed to the Middle East.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed the government has received requests for aid from allies under attack during Iranian strikes.
While the minister says Australia will not be part of any ground-troop deployment, other military requests are being considered.
“You would anticipate, as a consequence, that we have been asked for assistance, and we will work through that carefully,” Senator Wong said on Sunday.
“If a decision is made, I’m sure that we will be transparent with the Australian people.”
Iran has launched strikes against neighbouring countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain following US and Israel-led attacks, which killed the country’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Jennifer Parker, an expert associate at the Australian National University’s national security college, said Australian forces would likely be sought to relieve pressure on the militaries of allied regimes.
“I would suspect that we will try and assist with the issues of missile and drone detection, and potentially missile and drone interception,” she told AAP.
“We could consider deploying fighter jets to the region to help defend the Gulf countries against these attacks. That would probably be the most effective deployment for Australia.
“That comes with some complications in terms of stressing that they’re being used for defensive, rather than offensive, roles.”
Australian forces could also be used to provide support in getting oil through the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of world supplies travel.
Iran has been blocking access to the strait following the attacks, leading to petrol and diesel price spikes.
If Australian defence personnel were sent to the region, it was unlikely to put them at greater risk of attack, Ms Parker said.
“Australia is considered as allied with the US anyway, and so therefore, because of that relationship, Iran would consider Australians as targets in the same way that they have in some of the Gulf countries,” she said.
Source: Michael West Read More