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The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, but warned that there is still more to be done to achieve regional stability and peace.

AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said, “Despite some initial breaches and incidents, the ceasefire between Iran and Israel now seems to be holding and this is a very welcome development. However, this must not be the end of the process. There must now be a comprehensive agreement for a permanent cessation of hostilities that ensures Iran dismantles and ends its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and also ceases its sponsorship of terror proxies throughout the Middle East.

“For far too long, Iran has brought violence to and destabilised the Middle East in its quest to destroy Israel, spread its Shi’ite Islamic revolution and establish regional hegemony. Millions of civilians have died as a result of Iran’s malign activities, and many millions more have been displaced.

“There is now a historic opportunity to bring this reign of terror to an end, and improve stability and security across the region. It will require the international community to show steadfastness in ensuring Iran commits to such an agreement and, more importantly, that Iran’s compliance with it is strictly monitored and enforced.

“If the international community grasps this opportunity, it could see the dawn of a period of peace and prosperity for the entire region, not least for the benighted people of Iran, who have suffered for so long due to their rogue leaders’ fundamentalist obsessions and dictatorial and aggressive behaviour.

“Without such far-reaching changes, however, the Iranian regime will inevitably seek to reconstitute its nuclear weapons program and continue to spread violence and misery.

“We pay tribute to the brave military forces of Israel and the US, which have made this opportunity possible through their commitment and ingenuity, as well as the political leaders in Washington and Jerusalem who took the courageous and necessary decisions to bring us to this point. We also send our condolences to all those in Israel who lost family and friends due to Iran’s criminal targeting of Israeli civilians, and wish a speedy and complete recovery to all those who suffered injury or loss,” Dr Rubenstein concluded.