Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has advised the 115,000 Australians currently in the Middle East that commercial airlines remain the fastest route out of the region, hosing down immediate prospects for government-run repatriation flights despite intensifying volatility.
Following US-led strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, major transit hubs, including Dubai and Doha suspended services, leaving thousands stranded and forcing carriers to reroute around closed airspace.
Wong emphasised that the primary challenge is not a lack of available carriers, but the cessation of flights due to safety concerns.
"People will get home most quickly if we can facilitate people getting onto commercial flights," she said, noting that the government is actively engaging with airlines to monitor when normal operations might resume.
While the UK has begun drawing up contingency plans to evacuate citizens via Saudi Arabia, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles stated that commercial options remain the most expeditious solution once airspace reopens.
Despite calls from Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson for the immediate activation of military assets for evacuation—offering bipartisan support for such a move—the government is currently focused on facilitating departures through operational airports in Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has urged all Australians in Iran, Israel, the UAE, and Qatar to register on their crisis portal immediately.