@AngelicaOung Was at Sanxingdui last week. Nothing can prepare you for the absolute cultural impact of the incredible history to be found there. And the museum itself is mind blowing. Must see
Australia stands with the brave people of Iran in their struggle against oppression.
For decades, the Iranian regime has been a destabilising force, through its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, support for armed proxies, and brutal acts of violence and intimidation.
Iran directed at least two attacks on Australian soil in 2024. These appalling acts targeting Australia’s Jewish community were intended to create fear, divide our society and challenge our sovereignty. In response, Australia took the unprecedented steps of expelling Iran’s Ambassador, suspending operations at our embassy in Tehran, and listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Our Government has sanctioned more than 200 Iranian-linked individuals, including more than 100 linked to the IRGC.
With international partners, including the United States and the G7, we have called for the Iranian regime to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Iran’s citizens.
These calls have gone unheeded. Instead, the regime has instigated a brutal crackdown on its own people leaving thousands of Iranian civilians dead. A regime that relies on the repression and murder of its own people to retain power is without legitimacy.
It has long been recognised that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to global peace and security. The international community has been clear that the Iranian regime can never beallowed to develop a nuclear weapon. The United Nations Security Council has reimposed sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the International Atomic Energy Agency Board has formally declared Iran in non-compliance with its non-proliferation safeguards obligations.
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.
Australian officials are closely monitoring this evolving situation. We continue
to advise Australians do not travel to Iran and leave Iran as soon as possible, if it is safe to do so. Our ability to provide consular assistance in Iran is extremely limited.
Given our concerns around security in the region, we have also upgraded Australia’s travel advice for Israel and Lebanon to Do Not Travel. Australians should leave now if it is safe to do so.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has activated its Crisis Centre to provide consular support to Australians in the region.
Australians requiring urgent consular assistance can contact the Consular Emergency Centre 24/7 on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 from outside Australia.
Australia stands with the brave people of Iran in their struggle against oppression.
For decades, the Iranian regime has been a destabilising force, through its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, support for armed proxies, and brutal acts of violence and intimidation.
Iran directed at least two attacks on Australian soil in 2024. These appalling acts targeting Australia’s Jewish community were intended to create fear, divide our society and challenge our sovereignty. In response, Australia took the unprecedented steps of expelling Iran’s Ambassador, suspending operations at our embassy in Tehran, and listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Our Government has sanctioned more than 200 Iranian-linked individuals, including more than 100 linked to the IRGC.
With international partners, including the United States and the G7, we have called for the Iranian regime to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Iran’s citizens.
These calls have gone unheeded. Instead, the regime has instigated a brutal crackdown on its own people leaving thousands of Iranian civilians dead. A regime that relies on the repression and murder of its own people to retain power is without legitimacy.
It has long been recognised that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to global peace and security. The international community has been clear that the Iranian regime can never beallowed to develop a nuclear weapon. The United Nations Security Council has reimposed sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the International Atomic Energy Agency Board has formally declared Iran in non-compliance with its non-proliferation safeguards obligations.
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.
Australian officials are closely monitoring this evolving situation. We continue
to advise Australians do not travel to Iran and leave Iran as soon as possible, if it is safe to do so. Our ability to provide consular assistance in Iran is extremely limited.
Given our concerns around security in the region, we have also upgraded Australia’s travel advice for Israel and Lebanon to Do Not Travel. Australians should leave now if it is safe to do so.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has activated its Crisis Centre to provide consular support to Australians in the region.
Australians requiring urgent consular assistance can contact the Consular Emergency Centre 24/7 on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 from outside Australia.
I’m in China and by the time you read this so will be Sir Keir Starmer the British Prime Minister. I welcome his visit to Beijing and wish it every success. My job is to champion British workers and given the triumph of the Chinese economy it can only be a good thing if the visit can boost Britain’s trade with China and investment too. Our people urgently need proper jobs and hope and that can only come from win-win opportunities with successful economies like China.
But as President Xi Jing Ping said tonight in advance of the visit and in relation to today’s visit of the Finnish PM business relations rely on trust and amity.
And as you know Keir Starmer is deficient on both counts.
It is eight years since a British PM visited China. This is a shameful lapse and a stupid one too.
But what has happened during those 8 years is still more stupid.
The megaphone has scarcely stilled from Downing Street in that time.
Lecturing China, warning China even threatening China! Accusing China with all manner of baseless tabloid smears. Only a month ago the Speaker of Parliament summoned the House to warn MPs to look under every desk for a Chinese spy. Watch out for Fu Man Chu! It might have been a Sherlock Holmes-era style of rhetoric and it was equally fictional.
China does not waste one minute thinking about the basket-case Britain has become under Keir Starmer. If we want something from the Klondike that is today’s China we are going to have to start showing them some respect. Speak to them like the superpower that they are. Stop playing mini-me to Donald Trump on his tirades. Quit provoking China over Taiwan. Accept that Hong Kong is China and the terrorist acquisition of that territory is at an end.
Grow up Prime Minister. Accept that the tables have turned, that that the sun has set in the west and that “the dawn comes up like thunder outta China across the bay”.
You might just get somewhere. If you need some private advice I’m only an ultra high-speed train journey away in Shanghai…
George Galloway
Shanghai