Australian troops on board U.S. submarine that sank Iranian ship: PM Anthony Albanese

Australian troops were aboard a U.S. submarine that sank an Iranian ship; PM Albanese clarifies their role was non-combat.

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 (March 6, 2026).

The personnel were on the submarine as part of training arrangements under AUKUS, a multi-decade defence pact with Britain and the United States, Mr. Albanese told Sky News.

They did not take part in the attack, he stressed.

"These are long standing third country arrangements that have been in place for a long period of time," he said.

At least 84 sailors were killed in Wednesday's (March 4) torpedo attack on the IRIS Dena — the first military strike far outside the West Asian region since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran.

Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States of committing an "atrocity" and warned Washington would "bitterly regret" the precedent set.