The AUKUS agreement has dragged Australia into the Trump administration’s war on Iran, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused of obfuscating the country’s involvement.

After initially refusing to comment, Albanese confirmed that three sailors were on board the US attack submarine that sank an Iranian warship in waters off Sri Lanka, as part of training under the agreement.

“I can confirm also, though, that no Australian personnel have participated in any offensive action against Iran,” he said last week.

However, international relations expert Dr Emma Shortis dismissed the federal government’s attempt to draw a distinction between presence and participation.

“The government can dance around it as much as it likes. There are no passengers on nuclear powered submarines,” the Australia Institute’s director of international and security affairs said.

“Not participating is not a thing and this is what AUKUS does.”

Hosting the Australia Institute’s After America podcast, Shortis said the agreement had pulled Australia into the Iran conflict “in all but name” and argued the development was “entirely foreseeable”.

“Australia is part of it, whether we like it or........

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