Australia will deploy a surveillance aircraft and supporting ADF personnel to the Middle East for at least a month, as well as provide air-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates, in what Anthony Albanese said was an effort to help protect Australians in the region under threat from Iranian attack.

But the prime minister has maintained Australia is not taking offensive action against Iran or deploying troops on the ground in the offensive by the United States and Israel.

Albanese said Australia’s assistance came after a request from the UAE’s president, Mohamed bin Zayed. The prime minister said there were 24,000 Australians living in the UAE, and characterised his government’s assistance as being about helping protect people in that region, after areas of Dubai came under Iranian missile attack.

Albanese said an E7 wedgetail aircraft would help provide long range reconnaissance capability to help “secure the airspace above the Gulf”.

“The wedgetailand supporting Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed for an initial four weeks in support of the collective self defence of Gulf nations. Additionally, in response to a request, my government intends to provide advanced, medium range air to air missiles to the United Arab Emirates,” he said.

“My government has been clear that we’re not taking offensive action against Iran, and we’ve been clear that we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran. We continue to work on contingencies to keep Australians safe and to help travelers leave the Middle East.”

More details to follow