The Albanese government’s calls for “restraint and dialogue” in the conflict between Iran and Israel have been branded naive and “ridiculous” by senior opposition figures.

Melbourne writer Alistair Kitchen was detained for 12 hours at Los Angeles International Airport, had his phone seized and was "interrogated" about his views on the conflict in the Middle East.

Alistair Kitchen, an Australian writer and former student in the U.S., was deported from the United States after writing articles supporting student protests at Columbia University against Israel.

Adelaide-based Santos said that XRG, comprised of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company and US private equity fund Carlyle, had tabled an indicative cash offer of US$5.76 a share — equivalent to A$8.89 — which represented a 28 per cent premium to the company’s closing share price last week.

Donald Trump vetoed a plan by Israel to kill Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to reports from AP and Reuters. Israel’s ambassador to Australia has delivered a veiled barb to Foreign Minister Penny Wong she revealed she had phoned her Iranian counterpart urging restraint after Israel’s strikes on Iran.

The Israel-Iran conflict is already dominating the meeting of G7 leaders in Canada, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussing the global response with Canadian counterpart Mark Carney.

Australia and South Korea on Sunday urged Israel and Iran to exercise restraint following fresh attacks against each other, according to local media reports. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged Israel and Iran to "not escalate" a "perilous" situation that could affect the wider Middle East.

Israel and Iran opened a new chapter in their long history of conflict when Israel launched a major attack with strikes early Friday that set off explosions in the Iranian capital of Tehran. Israel said it targeted nuclear and military facilities,