During a recent visit to Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese adjusted his rhetoric concerning the conflict in the Middle East, aligning more closely with the stance of his Canadian counterpart while also bolstering partnerships in critical minerals.

In a significant escalation, joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran on Saturday led to a series of counterattacks across 11 nations, including an overnight missile aimed at Türkiye, which was intercepted by NATO’s air defense systems.

This situation has compelled nations like France and China, both wielding permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, to criticize the Israeli-US offensive. They have called for de-escalation and stressed the importance of upholding international law without bias.

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney aligned with this sentiment, clarifying his earlier support for US-Israeli actions by emphasizing that it did not equate to unconditional approval for the Trump administration. He advocated for a swift reduction in hostilities.

Albanese had been the first global leader to endorse the US-Israel strikes over the weekend, initially voicing concerns about potential “regional escalation.”

During a statement on Saturday night, Albanese expressed that Iran’s nuclear ambitions pose a “threat to global peace and security,” reiterating the international community’s consensus that Iran must never develop nuclear weapons.

“We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security,” he said.

On Sunday, asked if Australia would support a more protracted conflict, Albanese said he was concerned about regional escalation, and called Iran’s retaliatory attacks on the United Arab Emirates “an aggression and an escalation by Iran that is consistent with the nature of the regime.”

On Thursday, as he stood side-by-side with Carney, there was a shift, as Albanese appeared to call for broader “de-escalation” of the conflict.

“I think the world wants to see a de-escalation, and wants to see Iran cease to spread the destinations of its attacks,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Carney echoed the lines, stopping short of calling for a ceasefire, stating that “right now there is a spreading of hostilities and before we get there, there needs to be ending of targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure”.

Both leaders faced questions from journalists about why their initial statements did not urge de-escalation, with their European counterparts used as an example.

Carney said the statement issued by both Canada and Australia took place at the very beginning, stating that while a wider war was a possibility, “there are no certainties in conflict”.

“So, now that the conflict has moved on, now that the conflict is involving … a much wider group,” Carney said.

“We absolutely stand by the fundamental principle that Iran should not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and to continue to be a serial violator of international law,” he added.

The US and Israel have argued that their attacks on Iran are to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Carney urges convening of ‘rare’ middle powers

It followed an announcement that Australia would join a critical minerals alliance run by the G7, with Carney urging the two countries boost their co-operation on a range of fronts.

“Under increasing pressure, we want to work together and with our partners to uphold and defend peace, security and prosperity,” Carney said in a major address to federal parliament.

He referenced an abandoning of the rules-based world order, saying that “from this rupture, we can build something better, more prosperous, more resilient, more just”.

Carney has described Canada and Australia as strategic cousins, saying the relationship between the two countries has been built up by choice, not by geography, over centuries.

“Great powers can compel. But compulsion comes with costs, both reputational and financial. Middle powers must convene to matter, but not everyone can,” he said.

“Middle powers like Australia and Canada hold this rare convening power. Because others know we mean what we say and we will match our values with our actions.”

— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press.

For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.