22 Jun 2025

Watch: Winston Peters, Judith Collins speak on Israel-Iran conflict from RNZAF base

3:16 pm on 22 June 2025

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins are about to make an announcement regarding the Israel-Iran conflict from the Royal New Zealand Airforce Base in the Auckland suburb of Whenuapai at 3pm.

The announcement that the ministers would speak on the conflict came before it was revealed the US performed military strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites, including uranium enrichment facility Fordow.

Trump said on Truth Social: "We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter."

Previous comments

Peters has previously said the provocative behaviour by both Israel and Iran was to be criticised, and New Zealand did not take sides in a conflict of this nature.

"There are no innocent parties in this conflict," he said.

It was a tragedy that civilians were being killed, Peters said.

"The people who are innocent ... that tragedy is just awful and I think New Zealanders understand that with clarity," Peters said. "That's why we try to help where we can, but we are a long way from this conflict."

While Peters said we should avoid making judgement without all the information, he noted the conflict in the Middle East has been going on for years.

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