Australia PM Albanese criticises Trump's rhetoric while welcoming ceasefire

SYDNEY, April 8 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday ​welcomed a ceasefire in the Middle East struck ‌between the U.S., Israel and Iran, while criticising the rhetoric of President Donald Trump.

Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire less than two ​hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen ​the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks ⁠on its civilian infrastructure.

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His announcement on social media ​represented an abrupt turnaround from earlier in the day, when ​he issued an extraordinary warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if his demands were not met.

Albanese said in an interview with ​Sky News the ceasefire was welcome, but that ​Trump’s rhetoric was worrying.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to use language such as ‌that ⁠from the President of the United States, and I think it will cause some concern,” he said.

While supporting U.S. attacks on Iran in the early days of ​the war, Albanese ​has expressed ⁠unease about the conflict in recent weeks.

Last week the prime minister said he wanted more certainty ​from Trump on the objectives of the ​war, ⁠while calling for a de-escalation by all parties involved.

Trump this week criticised Australia for a lack of support.

“Australia didn’t ⁠help us,” ​he told a news conference, ​singling out the country along with Japan and South Korea.

Reporting by Alasdair ​Pal in Sydney; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Kate Mayberry

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Alasdair Pal

Thomson Reuters

Alasdair leads the team covering breaking news in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Before moving to Sydney, he covered general news in New Delhi, where he reported from the front-line of the coronavirus pandemic in India and the insurgency in Kashmir, as well as extended periods in Pakistan and, most recently, in Sri Lanka covering its ongoing economic crisis. His reporting on Islamic State suicide bombings in Sri Lanka in 2019 was highly commended as the Society of Publishers in Asia awards. He previously worked as a financial reporter in London, with a particular interest in hedge funds and accounting frauds.

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