Media Releases

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) expresses its strong support for the joint United States-Israel military strike against Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile infrastructure.

For decades, the Iranian regime has waged a sustained campaign of terror and aggression against Israel, the United States and the world over, including through its terror proxies, while advancing its nuclear ambitions and long-range missile capabilities. The regime has not only been open about its determination to destroy Israel, but launched several direct military attacks on the Jewish state, in addition to being ultimately responsible for the October 7 atrocities perpetrated by its proxy Hamas, which is funded, trained and armed by Iran, among many other acts of blatant aggression.

Furthermore, we recall that only last August, Australia designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation and expelled the Iranian Ambassador after irrefutable evidence emerged of Iranian-directed terror attacks on Australian soil.

With clear evidence of an imminent and escalating threat, and after repeated diplomatic efforts failed, the United States and Israel were fully justified in acting in accordance with international law and the inherent right of self-defence, including striking Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, one of the most evil men of the last century, who belongs in the same category as infamous terrorists like Osama bin Laden and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Khamenei’s reported elimination, therefore, marks a long-overdue measure of justice for his victims around the world, including first and foremost the Iranian people themselves. It also offers renewed hope that the Iranian people can, after 47 years, at last liberate themselves from the horrifying regime that has both made their lives a misery and destabilised the entire world.

AIJAC also acknowledges and welcomes the principled statement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the government that Australia “supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security.”

Of course, at this time our thoughts are also with all those in the path of danger in the current conflict – including first and foremost Israelis and others across the region targeted by Iran’s indiscriminate missile barrages, as well as innocent Iranian civilians. We hope and pray for their safety and stand firmly with those responding to Iranian aggression.

Yesterday’s operation was not only lawful and necessary, but it also makes the world safer, including Australia. At a time when Iran’s destabilising activities have already reached our own shores, it is vital that Australia is standing firmly with its allies in confronting this danger and preventing the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism from acquiring the most dangerous weapons on earth.

Dr Colin Rubenstein, Executive Director, AIJAC