The death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, killed in a joint US-Israeli military operation, is raising several concerns within Australia.
On the economic front, MP Barnaby Joyce is sounding the alarm: with national fuel reserves estimated at only 28 days’ worth, well short of the 90-day threshold recommended by the IEA, Australia could be highly exposed to any disruption in Middle Eastern oil supplies. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles acknowledged the government would be monitoring the situation closely.
On the legal front, Foreign Minister Penny Wong declined to comment on whether the strikes complied with international law, arguing it was up to the United States and Israel to provide that justification themselves. She nonetheless reaffirmed Australia’s support for efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
As for Iran’s future, both Wong and Marles agreed that any change of regime must come from the Iranian people themselves. Middle East expert Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was formerly imprisoned in Iran, believes a successor will be named swiftly by the Assembly of Experts. She suggested the new leader could prove more pragmatic than Khamenei, potentially open to reaching a deal with the Trump administration in order to preserve what remains of the current regime.
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