Key points: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed three Australian defence personnel were aboard a U.S. submarine that fired the torpedo which sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, and said they did not take part in the attack. The strike, off Sri Lanka's southern coast, was reported to be the first U.S. torpedo sinking of an enemy ship since World War Two; Sri Lankan authorities recovered 87 bodies. The Australians were on board as part of AUKUS-related training, and Canberra maintains it is not engaged in offensive actions in the conflict while supporting non-combat efforts to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.
Three Australians Aboard U.S. Submarine That Sank Iranian Warship, PM Albanese Says — They Were Not Involved
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at the Sydney Opera House during a National Day of Mourning for the victims of the December 14, 2025, mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, January 22, 2026. REUTERS/Jeremy Piper
SYDNEY, March 6 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that three Australian defence personnel were aboard a United States submarine that fired the torpedo which sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, but he emphasised they did not take part in the attack.
The strike occurred off Sri Lanka's southern coast earlier this week. According to Reuters reporting, Sri Lankan authorities have recovered the bodies of 87 sailors. Albanese described the involvement of the Australians as part of routine training arrangements and denied any Australian participation in offensive operations against Iran.
AUKUS Training And Third-Country Arrangements
Albanese told Sky News the Australians were aboard the submarine as part of training linked to the AUKUS defence partnership between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom — a program intended to help Australia acquire and build nuclear-powered submarines. He characterised the presence of Australian personnel as "long-standing third‑country arrangements" that predate the recent hostilities.
"No Australian personnel have participated in any offensive action against Iran," Albanese said, according to his remarks to Sky News.
Wider Context
Reuters noted this was the first time since World War Two that a U.S. vessel had sunk an enemy ship with a torpedo. The incident comes amid a broader escalation in the Middle East: U.S. and Israeli jets struck multiple targets across Iran, and several Gulf cities have reported renewed bombardment in recent days.
Australia, a close U.S. ally, has publicly ruled out taking a combat role in the confrontation but has said it will support diplomatic and other efforts aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry)
Help us improve.
