Earlier this month, as the United States and Israel’s war on Iran raged, the prime minister frustrated many when he reiterated his support for the US-Australian alliance. And he did so again days later when he responded to Donald Trump’s threat to wipe out the entire Iranian civilisation by calling it inappropriate. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Nour Haydar about how the Australian government’s response and language stacks up and why Anthony Albanese is being so cautious