Iranian clerics targeted in 'substantial attack'

ABC Listen, podcasts, radio, news, music, and more.

Good morning.

Welcome to AM.

It's Wednesday, the 4th of March.

I'm Melissa Clark in Canberra, coming to you from None of All Country and acknowledging

other custodians.

Israel's military is reporting it's killed a senior Iranian military officer in charge

of the elite al-Quds force operating in Lebanon.

The conflict is escalating between Israel and Hezbollah, with IDF ground troops now entering

southern Lebanon.

And the U.S. President has confirmed another substantial attack on Iran's leadership.

In an expansive press conference in Washington, Donald Trump contradicted his own Secretary

of State with his explanation of what exactly caused him to press go on Operation Epic Fury.

Correspondent Barbara Miller joins me from Washington, DC.

Bob yesterday we heard Marco Rubio claim the military action was launched because Israel

was about to attack Iran.

The U.S. President gave a different account of the situation today and talked me through

it.

Yeah, these comments by Michael Rubio got quite a lot of attention.

The Secretary of State essentially suggesting that the U.S. was forced into this military

action because Israel was about to take action.

Marco Rubio said, look if Israel had attacked Iran, then U.S. interests would have been

at risk.

So we had to take action.

Now, the background to this, of course, is this sort of shifting messaging from the White

House as to why exactly they decided to launch Operation Epic Fury.

We've been given a whole string of reasons.

But clearly, Donald Trump, I think wasn't too comfortable with the idea that the message

was going out there, that the U.S. had been hamstrung by Israel essentially and was forced

into taking action.

So Donald Trump's argument is Iran was about to attack Israel and therefore he decided

that action had to be taken.

Let's just hear him on that question.

Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think they were going to attack first.

And I didn't want that to happen.

So if anything, I might have forced Israel's hand.

So Donald Trump there with the latest explanation from the U.S. about why they launched this

operation.

Of course, it's still ongoing right now.

What's the President had to say about the action that U.S. and Israel are still undertaking

in Iran at the moment?

Well, he says they're still targeting senior leadership there, of course, in the very early

hours.

They took out the Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah, the Khamenei.

But he says 49 people, we heard that figure before, were taken out in the first hit.

And then Donald Trump's saying, I guess there was another hit today aimed at the new leadership

and it looks like that was pretty substantial too, so much so that he's saying that the number

of senior leaders they're taking out is becoming something of a problem.

We had some in mind from that group that is dead.

And now we have another group, they may be dead also based on reports.

So I guess you have a third wave coming in.

Pretty sure we're not going to know anybody.

And just briefly, Mel, Donald Trump said, when asked about whether the Crown Prince Reza

Polavi should take over, he said he thought perhaps somebody from within could be more

appropriate.

He seemed to give a bit of a thumbs down there to the Shah's son, although he said he was

a nice guy.

Barbara Miller there.

The Australian government has been in close contact with the UAE about the volatile situation

in the Middle East and Australian travellers stuck in the Emirates while their air space

is closed.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong joins AM, Senator Wong, thanks for speaking to me this morning.

Good morning, good to be with you now.

What's the latest advice from the government for Australian travellers in the Middle

East?

First, obviously this is a perilous and unpredictable time in the Middle East.

And we are very conscious of how challenging, how distressing this is for Australians who

are in the Middle East and for friends and family overseas.

What I would say is we are engaging with the countries of the region.

As you said in your introduction, particularly with the United Arab Emirates, because that

is where we see most Australians, this is a consular crisis that dwarfs any Australia

that any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people.

The Foreign Minister of the Arab Emirates explained to me that around 24,000 Australians are

in his country.

We discussed when I spoke with him and I know the Prime Minister also spoke with the

Shake that the best way to get people out is to get commercial flight started.

I asked if they could look at commercial flights restarting.

Obviously, it's very unpredictable.

And I understand there is a flight scheduled from Dubai to Sydney.

Obviously, we would say to people on the ground you need to ensure you're staying in contact

with your airline relation to that flight if you are on it, flights have been cancelled

and changed at short nights.

When do you expect that Dubai to Sydney flight to take off?

As I said, it was scheduled for morning Dubai time, but that obviously is dependent on

the circumstances.

We've seen other countries this morning our time.

This morning our time, okay.

That could happen shortly if that is, if airspace remains safe for that to proceed.

Are there options for the federal government to assist people stuck in Dubai to travel

by land, to re-air or to Muscat and get flights from those locations?

Well, we are looking at all contingencies and obviously, geographically, this is very

difficult for Australia, given how far away we are and we are looking at what contingency

arrangements might work.

I'd make the point that they have been attacked on Saudi Arabia.

It is one of ten countries Iran has now attacked in the region.

This is a much broader spread of conflict in the Middle East and we have seen.

And obviously, given that the hubs are being attacked, this has made this crisis much

more difficult for everyone to navigate and we are very conscious of how distressing

this is.

I simply say it is a difficult situation.

We are working around the clock to do what we can.

If the flight from Dubai to Sydney is able to successfully depart this morning and those

airspace conditions remain safe, would the government look to add additional chartered flights

or would you be relying on commercial operators to be able to clear the backlog of Australian

travellers?

Well, we are looking at all contingencies that are possible, but I again say what I've said

over the last two days.

When you have as many Australians as we have in particularly in the Emirates but broadly

in the region, so it is 115,000 Australians in the broader region, 24,000 in Emirates.

We have a lot there obviously because it has been a hub for Australian travellers as

well as Australian expats.

That volume of traffic will really need to see commercial flights resume even if only sporadically

to get people home.

The UAE has been funding accommodation and food for Australian travellers.

Is that something that is going to continue?

What have you learnt from your discussions with your counterpart?

I think the Foreign Minister for the assistance that the United Arab Emirates is providing

Australians.

They are funding accommodation and meals.

He said to me, we treat them as our own and I express to him the thanks of Australia

for the friendship of the UAE.

I think Australians will remember this in years to come that how this country stepped

up to provide this assistance and support to Australians in the region.

There are some uncertain days and possibly quite more than days ahead in this conflict.

Whatever decisions the Australian government has to make, will you be abiding by international

law when making them or does that depend on the circumstances?

Australia always seeks to both advocate for, promote and observe international law and

in relation to this conflict.

We have been very clear that international humanitarian law should be observed by all parties.

We have seen the opposition, spokesperson for Defence, James Patterson say, great nations

have the power to do what they want to do and they are doing that, we have to adjust

to that reality.

Do you disagree with that?

What I've said is Iran represents a regime that is engaged in terrorism that has been

over many decades and including recently a country that has engaged in terrorism and

has not complied with international resolutions, including the Security Council in relation

to its nuclear program.

We have said we support action that prevents Iran from obtaining a new capability and prevents

Iran from continuing to act beyond its borders.

Let's not forget Iran participated in organising an attack on Australian soil against Australians.

Our U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, has said that the imminent threat the U.S. faced from

Iran that justified its strikes was that Israel was going to attack Iran and the U.S. would

face backlash.

Overnight we've heard the U.S. President Donald Trump say Iran was going to attack Israel

so he wanted to preempt that attack so they had to strike first.

Are these reasonable justifications to the Australian government?

What I would say is that the legal basis of these strikes is ultimately a matter for the

United States and Iran, sorry, and Israel, ultimately a matter for the United States and Israel.

We know Iran has failed to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions on its nuclear

program.

We know what Iran has been doing over many years, I think it is important for us to remember

this is not started with these strikes, this has been going on for decades, including

in Australia.

One last question on a different matter.

France has proposed expanding its nuclear weapons deterrence to other European nations

and expanding the number of nuclear warheads it has and not disclosing how many it will

stockpile.

Is this an indicator that NATO is no longer a reliable defender of Europe and that other countries

like France have to act outside of that alliance with the US?

Australia supports NATO as one of the key pillars of peace and stability in the world.

And we engage with NATO obviously, you know, we are in a different geostrategic sphere,

but we engage with NATO.

I think it is in everyone's interest for NATO to be that the stable pillar that it has

been for so many decades.

Do you have any concerns about France's plan?

It does involve the expansion of holding of nuclear weapons, Australia has long been an

international champion of nuclear non-proliferation.

Are you comfortable with France expanding its stockpile of nuclear warheads?

Two points.

First, we would continue to press for the non-proliferation treaty to be observed by all parties, including

the nuclear parties, and second, of course, we continue to advocate for arms control.

We know the risk that these weapons pose to humanity.

Senator Wong, thank you very much for joining me on AM this morning.

Good to speak with you.

The number of Iranians killed in the war has risen to nearly 800, according to a human

rights group, as Israel and the US launch fresh assaults on the country.

ABC is spoken to people inside Iran who have broken through the internet blackout and

told of their fear living under constant bombardment.

Bridget Rollison reports from Jerusalem.

Iran's capital under attack is hundreds of U.S. and Israeli missiles rained down on Tehran.

Plumes of smoke have become part of the city's skyline, as thunderous blasts echo through

neighborhoods.

I'm in Eastern Tehran, and I just heard three very huge explosions.

Of course, it was very scary.

One Iranian man has managed to bypass a state imposed communications blackout to tell

the ABC of his terror living under the intense assault.

His voice has been changed for his protection.

Sometimes the strikes are very intense and very frequent.

Sometimes the blasts are so loud, they wake me up in the middle of the night if I can

ever sleep.

Israel says it's carried out new attacks on Iran's leadership compound in Tehran, including

the presidential office, while hospitals and TV stations have been reduced to rubble.

A mass funeral in Minab in Iran's south for 165 students and staff killed in a strike

on Saturday has been aired on State TV.

The U.S. says it wouldn't deliberately target a school.

One Iranian girl who lives in Kerman, about 400 kilometers from Tehran, has posted a powerful

message on social media.

Even if I die in this war, the only one who's to blame is Ali Hamani.

If that leads to the destruction of this regime, this terrorist, I'm okay with it.

If I die, I'm okay with it.

Israel says it will continue striking targets in Iran with significant force, three days

after it assassinated Supreme Leader Ali Hamani.

The death toll in Iran has reached nearly 800, according to Deputy Director of Human Rights

Activists in Iran, Skylar Thompson.

I can't overstate enough how minimum these figures are.

But right now we have verified at least 742 civilians killed.

She warned the internet blackout imposed by the Iranian regime during a war could lead

to more deaths.

Where you have a regime that has decided to cut the population off from the internet,

you know, they're not able to communicate these types of warnings if they should occur.

And you know, we've not seen many of those warnings I must mention.

Iran has continued its fierce retaliation across the Middle East, targeting oil and gas

infrastructure in U.S. embassies in Gulf countries, as well as buildings in Central Israel.

In Iran, there's a feeling of uneasiness about how long this war will last after the U.S.

said the biggest hits on the country are yet to come.

This is Bridget Rollison in Jerusalem reporting for AM.

And Donald Trump has just announced that the U.S. Navy is preparing to start escorting

oil and gas tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to counter rising energy prices.

Former Liberal MP Keith Wallahan says a scathing review into his party's disastrous federal

election defeat should have been made public sooner.

During yesterday's question time, the Prime Minister tabled the Liberal's secret report,

which lays bear a range of campaign failures.

Political reporter Sarah Temebska has more.

Now I must about transparency, Mr Speaker.

Days after the Liberal Party decided not to release its election review, the Prime Minister

took matters into his own hands.

So I table it for them so that they can read the report.

Now, on the public record, all 64 pages of the Liberal's election autopsy, it sets out

how the party alienated women, young people and migrants and labels Peter Dutton a grim

and introverted leader unattractive to women who was captain coach and ballboy of an incoherent

campaign.

Mr Dutton told the ABC the review was distorted and didn't adequately reflect the impact

incorrect internal polling had on campaign decisions.

It's important to note that we're all collectively responsible.

I was the member I lost the seat and I take full responsibility for that.

Keith Wallahan is a Liberal moderate and the former member for men's using Victoria,

who lost his seat at the last election.

The campaign review found a notable lack of reflection from key figures involved in

the campaign and slammed economic policies spearheaded by the current leadership team,

including opposing tax cuts and plans to ban work from home for public servants, for

which both Liberal leader, Angus Taylor and Deputy Jane Hume have apologized.

Tony Barry is the director of Red Bridge Polling and the former Deputy Director of the

Victorian Liberal Party.

The Liberal Party is indeed, but it's currently unalive and if it doesn't learn from these

recommendations, it will be dead, it'll be roadkill.

One of the mistakes outlined in the review includes Jane Hume's comment that Labor Party

volunteers may have been Chinese spies, which Keith Wallahan partly blamed for the loss

of his seat.

As he all but confirmed, he will be contesting the seat of men's use in 2028.

Keith Wallahan is urging his party to address structural issues, including appealing to

urban and multicultural voters, but he's not criticising Angus Taylor's rhetoric on migration

that the numbers are too high and the standard too low.

Tony Barry says the rhetoric is resonating.

The line that Angus Taylor has been using is landing hard, 64% of Australians agreed and

just 14% disagreed, so it shows it even amongst Labor voters it's resonating.

Tony Barry is the Director of Redbridge Polling, Sarah Tamevska reporting, and that's

AM for today.

Thanks for your company.

I'm Melissa Clark.

Hi, it's Sam Hawley here, host of the ABC News Daily podcast.

How long will the Iran War last?

Well, Donald Trump says whatever it takes, but as for the end game, that's increasingly

unclear.

Today, we speak with Rana Dadpur, who fled the brutal Iranian regime in 2012 to come

to Australia.

I also speak with international relations expert Rajan Menon about why this could be a long

war.

Look for the ABC News Daily podcast on ABC Listen.