Australia PM Albanese criticises Trump's rhetoric while welcoming ceasefire

By Alasdair Pal

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.

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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