{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1596179,
        "msgid": "australia-weighs-up-assisting-gulf-states-in-facing-iran-1772938939",
        "date": "2026-03-08 09:15:00",
        "title": "Australia weighs up assisting Gulf states in facing Iran",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNBC",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Politics",
        "summary": "Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong says Canberra will consider Gulf requests for assistance in countering Iranian drone and missile attacks, while emphasising it will not participate in offensive actions or deploy ground troops. The remarks come amid Middle East tensions following US-Israel strikes on Iran and Iran's retaliatory strikes on Gulf states, with Australia maintaining its close alliance with the United States under the AUKUS framework.",
        "content": "<p>Australia will consider Gulf states\u2019 requests for assistance in\nfacing drone and missile strikes attributed to Iran, according to\nForeign Minister Penny Wong. Speaking to national television ABC, Wong\nsaid many states not participating in the war have been attacked by\nIran, and that Australia has been asked for help. When asked whether\nthat meant assistance in protecting them from Iranian drone and missile\nstrikes, Wong confirmed. \u2018We will follow up on that in line with the\nposition I have outlined, namely that we will not participate in\noffensive action against Iran, and we have explained that we will not\nparticipate in the deployment of ground troops to Iran,\u2019 she said, as\nreported by AFP, Sunday (6\/3\/2026). As is known, the United States (US)\nand Israel launched strikes on Iran last week that killed its supreme\nleader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered a war in the Middle East.\nIran then responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and\nseveral Gulf facilities such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and\nQatar. These strikes have forced busy Gulf air hubs, including Dubai and\nDoha, to suspend flights temporarily, leaving passengers stranded.\nAustralia also supported the US-Israel strikes as a necessary measure to\nprevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The force has a small\nmilitary presence in the Middle East, around 100 personnel. Many of them\nare stationed at the Al Minhad base in the UAE. Although Australian\nofficials say their country has no plan to participate in any military\naction against Iran, Australia actually has close military ties with the\nUnited States. Up to last month, around 70 Australian military personnel\nwere serving on the US nuclear submarine. Prime Minister Anthony\nAlbanese said that three Australian personnel were aboard the submarine\nwhen it sank an Iranian vessel on Wednesday (4\/3\/2026). According to\nAlbanese, the personnel were aboard the submarine as part of training\narrangements under AUKUS. This has been a defence pact for decades.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-weighs-up-assisting-gulf-states-in-facing-iran-1772938939",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}