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Agence France-Presse

Three Australian military personnel were on board an American submarine that sank an Iranian navy ship off Sri Lanka this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday.
Speaking to Sky News, Albanese said: “I can confirm that there were three Australian personnel on board that vessel”.
The personnel were on board the submarine as part of training arrangements under Aukus, a multidecade defence pact with Britain and the United States, Albanese said.
“These are long-standing third country arrangements that have been in place for a long period of time,” he said.
“I can confirm also, though, that no Australian personnel have participated in any offensive action against Iran,” he added.


At least 84 sailors were killed in Wednesday’s torpedo attack on the IRIS Dena – the first military strike far outside the Middle East region since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran.
Tehran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the US of committing an “atrocity” and warned Washington would “bitterly regret” the precedent set.
Asked on Friday about the legality of the attacks, Albanese said “that’s a matter, of course, for the United States”.
Australian military personnel embedded in third countries’ defence assets “act in accordance with Australian law, with Australian policy”, Albanese said.
Dozens of Australian troops have undergone placements on US attack submarines based out of Pearl Harbour under the Aukus training regime, national broadcaster ABC said.
Under that pact, the Australian navy aims to acquire at least three US Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines within 15 years as part of a strategy to counter China’s military in the Pacific.

Meanwhile in the southern port city of Galle, where the recovered bodies of the 84 Iranian sailors were taken, authorities began an inquest into the deaths.
With the local morgue only able to handle about 25 bodies at a time, hospital staff said authorities were rushing to set up refrigerated shipping containers to preserve the remains until legal formalities were completed.
Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath said authorities were continuing the search for missing sailors.
Sri Lanka earlier said that there were 180 people on board the ship – more than the Iranian figure of 130 – when it was struck by a torpedo.
The US defence secretary on Wednesday said the strike was the first by an American submarine since World War II.
Medical staff said 32 rescued Iranians were still being treated under tight security provided by police and elite commandos at the hospital, adding that the walking wounded would be discharged soon.


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Australia

Albanese says Australian troops were on board US submarine that sank Iranian ship

Iranian warship IRIS Dena is seen in the Bay of Bengal during the International Fleet Review held at Visakhapatnam, India, on February 18. Photo: AP


Rescued Iranian sailors from the IRIS Dena warship arrive at a hospital in Galle, Sri Lanka, on Thursday. Photo: EPA

US sinking of Iranian warship near Sri Lanka sparks regional anxiety, pressure on India

Iranian warship IRIS Dena is seen in the Bay of Bengal during the International Fleet Review held at Visakhapatnam, India, on February 18. Photo: AP

A frame grab from a video shows what the US Department of Defence says is periscope footage of a US Navy submarine firing on and sinking an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean. Photo: US Department of Defence / AFP

A man checks the local newspaper, following a submarine attack on the Iranian military ship, IRIS Dena, off the coast of Sri Lanka, in Galle, Sri Lanka, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP

Iran conflict puts India’s cherished Middle East neutrality to the test

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) shakes hands with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during a press conference on February 26. Photo: EPA

An Israeli air defence system intercepts a ballistic missile barrage over Tel Aviv launched from Iran on Sunday. Photo: Sopa Images/Zuma Press Wire/dpa

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The prime minister said the military personnel were on the vessel as part of training arrangements under the Aukus deal


The prime minister said the military personnel were on the vessel as part of training arrangements under the Aukus deal.


Albanese says Australian troops were on board US submarine that sank Iranian ship

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The prime minister said the military personnel were on the vessel as part of training arrangements under the Aukus deal

The prime minister said the military personnel were on the vessel as part of training arrangements under the Aukus deal