Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia is dealing with what she describes as an unprecedented consular crisis as large numbers of Australians remain in the Middle East amid regional instability.
Speaking on ABC’s AM program, Wong said approximately 115,000 Australians are currently in the broader region, including about 24,000 in the United Arab Emirates.
She said a commercial flight from Dubai to Sydney could depart on Thursday morning Australian time, although the timing depends on conditions on the ground.
Wong said the government continues to view commercial aviation as the most practical way to help Australians return home due to the scale of travellers involved.
Officials are working with governments across the region, particularly the UAE, while preparing contingency plans should conditions change.
Wong described the situation as a consular crisis “that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with” in terms of the number of citizens affected.
During the interview, Wong also declined to comment on the legality of recent military strikes on Iran carried out by the United States and Israel, saying the legal basis of those actions was a matter for the two countries involved.
She said the current tensions in the region were part of a longer-running conflict and pointed to Iran’s failure to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding its nuclear program.
Wong also referred to the role of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in connection with two antisemitic attacks in Australia.
The government continues to monitor the situation while working with international partners as travel disruptions affect Australians attempting to leave the region.
