Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued a rare criticism of US President Donald Trump, branding his threat that a “whole civilization will die” as “extraordinary” and “inappropriate”. The comments came after Trump posted on Truth Social warning of widespread destruction in Iran, including bombing bridges and power plants.
Albanese welcomed a conditional two-week ceasefire deal between the US and Iran, which is set to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping. He described the news as “very positive” and expressed hope it would lead to a permanent end to the conflict that has driven up global fuel prices.
In an interview with Sky News, Albanese said threatening to destroy civilian infrastructure was an extraordinary statement. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to use language such as that from the president of the United States,” he said, adding that any conflict must be conducted within international law, protecting civilians not party to the conflict.
The prime minister declined to comment on whether bombing civilian infrastructure would constitute a war crime, a view held by legal experts and officials from numerous countries. He said the focus should be on de-escalation, which had occurred with the ceasefire.
Nationals leader Matt Canavan had earlier urged Albanese to make clear Australia would not support Trump’s threat of widespread bombings. The ceasefire, brokered with Pakistani diplomatic intervention, aims to buy time for negotiations on a permanent resolution.
In a joint statement, Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia wanted to see the agreement upheld. “Iran’s de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz… is causing unprecedented energy supply shocks,” they said, warning of significant economic and human costs if the war continues.
