James Morrow opinion: Donald Trump’s US stike on Iran did the world a favour

The US is an ally that we need to work with to counter China’s increasingly belligerent behaviour. Iran is a backwards repressive theocracy built on terror - it’s time our leaders were more public in realising this, writes James Morrow.

President Donald Trump speaks from the East Room of the White House in Washington after the U.S. military struck three Iranian nuclear and military sites.He is flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen. Picture: AP

Over the coming hours and days, expect to hear the phrase, “US attacks Iran” an awful lot.

While technically true this three word phrase, which suggests US strikes on Iranian nuclear installations came out of the blue and that these are just two distant powers slugging it out, obscures a far greater truth.

Namely, that for the past 46 years Iran – or more specifically, the benighted regime of mullahs and ayatollahs currently running Iran – have been attacking the world.

For Australians, who poll after poll show they are not the biggest fans of US president Donald Trump, this fact is vital to remember.

Because no matter what anyone’s feelings about Trump, his tariffs, his border policies, or what have you, the fact is the US has under his leadership done the world a huge favour.

Contrary to what many on the left – and, it must be said, a smaller faction on the right – have been suggesting lately, there is no way in which Iran is an innocent victim either of Israeli aggression or American imperialism.

The notion that the leaders of Iran, who have authored or sponsored enough terrorism, repression, and misery to fill this newspaper could have been trusted with nuclear weapons or even a nuclear program that could lead to weapons is, frankly, insane.

This is why it was so disappointing that in the run-up to the strikes on Fordow, Esfahan, and Natanz, Labor’s approach – calling for both Israel and Iran to dial it down – came across as so lame.

And even after the strikes were announced the best the government could do was a statement from an anonymous spokesperson: “We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.”

Are the vaunted “Australian values” of so-called “progressive patriotism” that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gravely lectures the rest of us about really just a cover for weakness and appeasement?

The news came after reports that the US had moved B2 bombers toward the middle east. Picture: Getty Images

After all, dialing things down means the mullahs get to continue in power, terrorizing women and dissidents at home and their foes abroad.

Sadly, this reaction has has not been surprising given the undergraduate hostility of many in the Albanese Labor government to Israel and even the US and broader Western values.

Indeed as recently as January now shadow attorney general Julian Leeser called out Foreign Minister Penny Wong for a “lack of faith in our shared Western values”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference on the sidelines of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, Monday, June 16, 2025. Picture: AAP

As if predicting the one-way rift now being opened with the US by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who it was recently revealed also declined to pursue a meeting with Vice President JD Vance when they were attending Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, Leeser said Labor’s foreign policy was causing us to “lurch away from our allies.”

And this is why the simplistic news flash, “US attacks Iran” must be read with caution.

Senator Penny Wong, Minister for foreign affairs needs to be more vocal in recognition of the US as an ally. Picture: 9News

The US is a democracy and a historic friend of Australia with whom we will need to work to counter China’s increasingly belligerent behaviour in the region.

Iran is a backwards repressive theocracy that is built on terror and repression;

These are not the same.

And Australia’s leaders should be far more public in acknowledging this.

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Originally published as James Morrow opinion: Donald Trump’s US stike on Iran did the world a favour