Doorstop, Melbourne

SUBJECTS: Middle East Conflict; US Alliance.

JOURNALIST: You will have seen the coverage in the Daily Telegraph claiming that SAS forces have been deployed likely to Al Minhad Air Base. Is the report correct? And if not, what can you tell us?

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, RICHARD MARLES: Well, look, we don't comment on the movements of our special forces, but let me be absolutely clear: we are not having boots on the ground in Iran, and we've made that very clear from the outset of this conflict. The government's posture is to be providing support to the countries of the Gulf. We've responded to a request from the United Arab Emirates, our E-7 Wedgetail is in the region providing that support, but we are not having boots on the ground in Iran.

JOURNALIST: Okay, it could be, I assume, the kind of deployment that's being talked about done entirely defensively- that's fair, isn't it?

MARLES: Well, as I say, we won't comment on what our special forces do. We never make comments about the operations of our special forces, but I would be really clear to the Australian people, we're not having boots on the ground in Iran. This is not a conflict that we are involved in. We have responded through the provision of our E-7 Wedgetail to request for providing defensive support to the United Arab Emirates, and that's the extent of what we are doing.

JOURNALIST: On the E-7 Wedgetail, in recent days the UAE has indicated a willingness to join the US in missions, potentially to open the Strait of Hormuz, and therefore might take a more proactive, if not aggressive posture militarily. How confident are you that you can draw a line that keeps the E-7 out of assisting any proactive or aggressive missions in the Middle East.

MARLES: Well, firstly, we're really clear about Australia's posture and where Australia's national interest lies. We have responded to a request from the United Arab Emirates to provide for support in its defence and other countries of the Gulf and we are focusing very much on the United Arab Emirates. We have signed up to a statement more than a week ago now, which was led by the UK around opening the Straits of Hormuz when conditions allow, and working in cooperation with countries like the United Kingdom and France. Overnight, the Foreign Minister attended a virtual meeting of more than 40 countries around the question of the Straits of Hormuz going forward. And we will continue to talk with England, with France, with other countries, around what contribution we could make. Clearly, Australia's interest lies in having the Straits of Hormuz open, but all of that is when conditions allow. And right now, in the context of the conflict that is unfolding, we are providing defensive support to the UAE. 

JOURNALIST: You're confident that the US won't be, for example, drawing on intelligence from the E-7 to assist any potential troops on the ground that it might be landing in Iran?

MARLES: Well, we are providing defensive support to the UAE in respect of a request from the UAE. And we are also providing defensive support more broadly for countries of the Gulf, but the focus is on the request that's been provided by the United Arab Emirates. And that's the extent of what Australia is doing, and that's the role that the E-7 Wedgetail is playing.

JOURNALIST: What's your understanding of the outcome of the talks attended by the Foreign Affairs Minister overnight in terms of the Strait of Hormuz? And do they give you optimism about the Strait opening in the near term?

MARLES: Well, we all want to see the Strait of Hormuz open and last night was focusing on diplomatic and civilian initiatives around what can be pursued when conditions allow us to see a reopening of the Straits. That's really important, as is (inaudible). We will continue to talk with the UK, with France, with other countries, around what role we can play. And to that end, the E-7 Wedgetail being in the region, providing support to the UAE, is clearly important, but we will continue those conversations. What matters here is it is very much in the global interest, but very much in Australia's national interest to see the Straits of Hormuz open.

JOURNALIST: How much are you an optimist then, knowing what you know that that these efforts will be able to make a very real difference and potentially get the Strait open soon?

MARLES: Look, we are focused on working with likeminded countries, like the UK, France and others in advancing the Straits of Hormuz- (inaudible)       

JOURNALIST: The US President said yesterday that he won't be- that America won't be involved in any way in trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. How Does it strike you that an ally having acted in the way it's acted in the war, that we weren't given any notice of has now left us in a in a serious economic position with a serious, well military issue, frankly, to get that Strait open?

MARLES: We deal with the situation that we find ourselves in. It is very much in Australia’s interest to see the Strait of Hormuz open – (inaudible) that's why we will work closely with countries which are committed to seeing the Strait of Hormuz open and that's why the UK led statement over a week ago was so important. That's why the meeting that was convened overnight was so important with those companies (inaudible).

ENDS