Australia has 'done what has been asked to do' on Iran: Premier Albanese

Australia has "done what we have been asked to do," said the Australian prime minister after US President Donald Trump said that Canberra "should get involved" in Iran.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told journalists that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is "critical," and urged Iran to "stop its attacks."

Trump on Friday said he was "very surprised" over Australia's actions.

"Get involved … I was a little bit surprised they said no … we always say yes to them," he told Sky News Australia.

When asked about Trump's remarks, Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles also said that Washington "has requested support from Australia in terms of providing defense to the states of the Gulf."

He emphasized the E-7 Wedgetail plane in the Gulf that was sent "in response to a request from the United Arab Emirates." That "very much supports the defensive efforts that the United States was seeking," he said.

"We are very much engaged in the effort of defending the states of the Gulf and that was the context in which there had been a request from other countries, including the United States," he added.

Marles also said that Canberra did not receive a request from Washington regarding a warship "in respect of the Straits of Hormuz."

Regional tensions in the Middle East have escalated since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks across the region and has effectively closed to most ships the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route that normally handles about 20 million barrels per day and roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade.