SYDNEY, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that the Australian government is concerned about the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and urged citizens to leave the region.
Albanese told reporters in Sydney that the federal government has updated its official travel advice for Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to "do not travel" after the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes against Iran.
He said that Australian citizens already in those countries should leave immediately if it is safe to do so.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has had a "do not travel" warning in place for Iran since 2020. ■