TRANSCRIPT - WEEKEND SUNRISE - SUNDAY 1 MARCH 2026
SUBJECT: UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL MILITARY ACTION IN IRAN
MONIQUE WRIGHT: For more, we're joined by Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke. Morning to you, thanks so much for being with us. Look, you just heard there that we've had reports that the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is dead, and the U.S. President, called for regime, change. Does the Australian government also call for regime change and for Iranians to overthrow it?
TONY BURKE: We’re unequivocally standing with the people in Iran against what is a brutal, brutal regime. And we are certainly in support of the United States making sure that… and taking action to make sure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. We need to remember with respect to this regime, what they've done to their own people, what they've done destabilising the world, and also, what they've done specifically in Australia. We have had attacks on our own soil, instigated by Iran.
WRIGHT: OK, so, but if we have the regime is toppled, if the lead of the Supreme Leader is dead, there is no clear opposition there. So, who would Australia like to take over?
BURKE: Look, I won't offer more today than to say we unequivocally stand with the Iranian people. We want the Iranian people to be able to have charge of their government again. In the last few months, we've seen the Iranian people start to rise up. only to be brutally slaughtered by this regime. Thousands of their own citizens killed by this regime. And, you know, that's something that obviously cannot have the support of the Australian government or the Australian people in any way, shape, or form.
DAVID WOIWOD: Minister was the Australian government given a heads up of these strikes and have we been asked to help further?
BURKE: The actions, as stated by the United States and Israel, have been taken by them. I won't go into what conversations happen back and forth. But those two governments are the ones taking the action, and Australia's role right now is to say to our own citizens, If you are in Iran.. now there's been a do not travel to Iran warning in place for a long time. People are in there….
WOIWOD: I was going to say, are you concerned that these attacks have now been carried out without either the UN or US congressional approval?
BURKE: Iran has been in breach of nuclear agreements for a very long time, and it is critically important, critically important that Iran does not end up with nuclear weapons, critically important, and we’re supporting the United States, taking action to prevent that. It's also the case, they have been brutal against their own people, and we had two attacks, including the arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, that attack on our own soil instigated by this regime. That's why since Second World War, there's only one government where Australia has had to expel the ambassador. That's Iran. There's only one government where we've had to change the law, to make an agency of government, the IRGC, able to be listed as a terrorist organisation. That's Iran. This is no ordinary country.
WRIGHT: Tony you were just saying then that the Australian government has been urging Australians not to travel to Iran for a while now. Lots of Australians are in the region. What are the plans to try and help any Australians out of the Middle East?
BURKE: You've got temporary closures of a number of airports at the moment, but we expect that commercial options will still be available, and people should take them. Overnight, for Australians who are in Lebanon, in Israel, or in Qatar, we have upgraded our travel advice to do not travel. That means if you are already there, if it is safe to leave, leave. Get out. Don't delay. As long as there are commercial flights available, you should be getting on them, and that's an upgrade that's happened overnight. And we've got a lot of people in Lebanon and Israel in particular. Also, some in Qatar. But people should take that travel advice seriously, we don’t make these recommendations lightly.
WOIWOD: Just very quickly before we do go. Has the escalation in violence, has that changed any security or threat levels back here in Australia?
BURKE: Now, the threat level here was already probable, and sadly, we've been seeing in real time what that means with the most recent attack that was intercepted in WA only in the last few days. So probable remains where it is, but our security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies, in particular, ASIO, are always, always going through this information and making sure in case it needs to be changed.
WRIGHT: Tony Burke we really appreciate your time in this morning.
BURKE: Thank you.