CANBERRA March 2, 2026 – Australian Greens Leader Senator Larissa Waters has sharply criticised the Albanese Labor government for backing US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, demanding it immediately rule out any further support for what she called an “illegal war”.
In a video statement posted on X today, Senator Waters said: “You cannot bomb your way to peace. Labor must immediately rule out further Australian support for Trump and Netanyahu’s illegal war in Iran.”
The comments come days after the United States and Israel launched major airstrikes on Iran late last week (Operation Epic Fury), targeting nuclear facilities, military sites and leadership compounds. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and up to 48 senior officials were reported killed in the attacks.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have expressed support for the US-Israeli action, describing it as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to protect international peace and security. The opposition Coalition has offered bipartisan backing, with Shadow Foreign Minister Ted O’Brien stating Israel has the right to defend itself and Iranians deserve freedom from oppression.
However, Australia has explicitly ruled out any direct military involvement. On Monday, Foreign Minister Wong told media: “Australia is not central to the issues in the Middle East. We didn’t participate in these strikes and we wouldn’t anticipate participating in the future.”
The Greens have been the most vocal critics in parliament, labelling the strikes “illegal, abhorrent and unilateral” and warning they risk dragging Australia into another prolonged Middle East conflict.
Senator Waters’ latest statement echoes earlier Greens condemnations that Australia’s support for the initial attacks was “disgraceful”.
The conflict has escalated with Iranian retaliatory missile strikes on Israel and US assets in the Gulf, raising fears of wider regional instability. Thousands of Australians remain in the Middle East, and global oil prices have surged amid the uncertainty.
The Greens argue that diplomacy, not bombs, is the only path to lasting peace and genuine change for the Iranian people.
This is a developing story. Life News Agency will continue to monitor developments in Canberra and the Middle East.
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