Defence Minister Richard Marles announced that nearly 4,000 Australians are seeking government assistance to evacuate from Iran and Israel amid ongoing conflicts in the region.

As of June 19, 2025, evacuation efforts have seen a small group exit Israel through a land crossing, while 1,200 Australians are still awaiting departure and 1,500 have registered for assistance in Iran.

The requests for assistance include about 2,600 Australians in Iran and 1,200 in Israel, with evacuation efforts complicated by closed Iranian airspace.

In response to the crisis, Australia has increased its support network in the region, deploying consular officials to Azerbaijan to assist with border crossings and positioning charter and military aircraft at El Minhad base near Dubai.

The Australian government has a civilian charter plane ready for evacuations, but it remains grounded due to the closed airspace over both nations.

The number of citizens seeking assistance has been doubling daily as the conflict intensifies, further complicating evacuation efforts.

Airspace over the region has been closed since June 13 following Israeli missile attacks on Iranian targets, aimed at halting Iran's nuclear weapons development.

Marles emphasized Australia's position of urging de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy, while acknowledging the threat posed by Iran's nuclear ballistic missile program.

The ongoing crisis has impacted international relations, with U.S. President Donald Trump cutting short his G7 attendance, which led to the cancellation of a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Marles indicated ongoing communication with the U.S. regarding the Middle East situation and confirmed his attendance at an upcoming NATO meeting focused on strengthening strategic alliances.

Marles noted that some evacuation groups have successfully exited Israel through Jordan, with hopes for more departures soon.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed military strikes on three locations in Iran, marking a direct involvement aimed at dismantling Iran's nuclear program.