Western Sydney voices outrage over Trump’s Iran strike: What residents REALLY think as tensions rise in the Middle East
Western Sydney residents voice concerns over Iran-Israel conflict
READ MORE: Anthony Albanese makes stunning admission after US attacks Iran
By NICHOLAS COMINO FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
Published: 02:14 BST, 24 June 2025 | Updated: 02:20 BST, 24 June 2025
The escalating conflict between Iran and US-backed Israel has members of Sydney’s Middle Eastern diaspora both worried about the impact on people in the region and angry at the leaders who are risking a devastating war.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for calm on Monday, urging Iran not to retaliate against airstrikes by the US and Israel against its nuclear facilities, but the Islamic Republic did fire missiles at US military bases in the region.
On Tuesday US President Donald Trump announced there would be a ceasefire between the Iran and Israel, which is set to begin at 2PM AEST.
Though the conflict is taking place thousands of kilometres away, its impact is deeply felt in Australia, particularly among Middle Eastern and Muslim communities.
Many fear for their families and loved ones overseas.
‘We are very worried, it’s a very dangerous situation,’ said Leena, a woman of Egyptian background, speaking on Haldon Street in Lakemba, a predominantly Muslim hub in Sydney’s southwest.
‘Iran is so erratic, you don’t know what they’re going to do next.’
Leena was critical of those who led the attacks on Iran, calling U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘war criminals.’
Lakemba, located in Sydney, is home to one of Australia’s largest Middle Eastern communities
‘They should both have their heads against a wall and shot,’ she said.
Local resident Moni also expressed alarm at the US’s growing involvement, seeing parallels to the bombing that led to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
She questioned the legitimacy of Israel and America preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons, given both those countries have huge stockpiles of such arms.
‘It’s not about the nuclear weapons… they want to rule, they want to take from everyone,’ she said.
Moni cautioned the Australian government not to follow the United States into the conflict.
‘[Australia] is a country of peace. Why would we want to be dragged in?’
She also voiced doubts that the Trump administration paid any attention to the interests of Australia.
Albanese’s planned face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump at last week’s G7 summit was cancelled when Trump left early amid the worsening crisis.
Moni (pictured) thought that US leaders did not take Albanese seriously on global issues
Sam (pictured) voiced his concerns for innocent people caught in the crossfire of the war
Numerous businesses along Haldon Street in Lakemba are flying flags in support of Palestine
The two leaders are still yet to meet in person, seven months on from Trump’s election win, and despite major issues of concern such as the imposition of US trade tariffs on Australian goods, and a formal review about whether to go ahead with the AUKUS submarine deal.
A plan for Albanese to attend the NATO meeting in an effort to secure a meeting with Trump was floated, but it has since been dashed.
‘This war is not about helping anyone, it’s not about looking after people, the war is not about saving you or me,’ Moni said.
‘This war is just horrible.’
Another resident, Sam, who has friends and family in both Lebanon and Iran, shared his anxiety about the growing instability in the region.
‘A lot of people have family overseas. My sister-in-law is going to Lebanon, and now she’s not sure if she should go,’ he said.
‘Is it going to escalate to that stage where they close the airports, and you get locked in and can’t come back? We’ve had that issue before.’
He condemned the rising civilian death toll in the regionand said it had become too distressing for him to even follow the news.
‘More innocent people are dying in the crossfire. It’s not right. How long are they going to keep going with this?’
‘When I see innocent kids, I can’t look. I have kids of my own.’
Molly, a local resident and mother, is not from a Middle Eastern background but was in solidarity with the surrounding community.
She expressed longstanding support for Palestine and said the recent escalation had left her feeling anxious for the people around her.
‘I love this community. We share the same values,’ she said.
‘I care for my neighbours and their families overseas. It is horrible to see what is happening.’
The human toll is mounting. According to Iranian health authorities, more than 400 Iranians have been killed since the conflict began.
Israel has reported at least 25 deaths in the same period from Iranian missiles, and with both sides continuing to launch retaliatory strikes, the death toll is expected to rise.
Molly (pictured), a local resident, said she was concerned for her neighbours and their families
NBC has reported that Iran had warned Trump they would activate sleeper cells within the US to launch retaliatory terror attacks if its nuclear sites were targeted.
In response to the reports, Prime Minister Albanese reiterated his call for de-escalation.
‘We’re opposed to any action against Australians, or indeed against anyone else,’ he said.
‘What we want to see, as President Trump has said, is peace going forward. There’s an opportunity for that to occur.’
He added that Australia’s terror threat level had not changed as a result of the conflict.
‘The ASIO Director-General and our security intelligence agencies are constantly engaged in monitoring,’ he said.
‘There’s been no change in any of the advice that has been issued.’
Local resident Apurba echoed the calls for peace, saying further escalation would only worsen the humanitarian crisis.
Apurba (pictured) held concerns for civilians and innocent people across the Middle East
‘We should absolutely be against the war,’ he said.
He added that human rights across the region remained a major concern.
More than 4000 Australians in Israel and Iran have registered with DFAT should they need assistance getting out of an expanded warzone.
The Australian government’s Smartraveller website has updated its travel advice for Australians overseas, with several Middle Eastern countries now listed under heightened alert levels.
Multiple destinations including Iran, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Iraq, have been marked as ‘do not travel’ or ‘exercise a high degree of caution’, reflecting growing concerns over regional instability.
‘We continue to advise Australians do not travel to (these countries) due to the volatile security situation and the risk it could deteriorate with little notice.’
The conflict between Israel and Iran erupted a week ago, when Israel launched an attack against the Islamic republic’s missile capabilities, claiming it was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1300 others, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group.
Israel says Iran’s retaliatory strikes have killed at least 24 and wounded hundreds more.
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Western Sydney voices outrage over Trump’s Iran strike: What residents REALLY think as tensions rise in the Middle East
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