For the first time since World War II, Australia expelled a foreign ambassador. On the other hand: “If it’s Australian and it’s in Iran, leave now”
Australia expels Iranian ambassador after espionage agency finding that Iran drove anti -Semitic attacks
by, cnn
Australia will expel the Iranian ambassador in Camberra after the country’s information services have concluded that Iran was behind at least two anti -Semitic attacks on Australian territory.
The Australian Security Information Organization (Asio) linked the Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards (IRGC) to two incendiary attacks last year, which targeted a Jewish-owned restaurant in Sydney and the Synagogue Israel in Melbourne, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference.
“It was extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression, orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,” said Albanese.
Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three other members of diplomatic personnel received seven days to leave the country, Albanese added. It is the first time since World War II that Australia expels a foreign ambassador. Australia also suspended the operations of its embassy in Iran for security reasons for its consular employees, having appealed to the Australians in Iran to abandon the country.
Albanese also said that the IRGCs – an elite force of the Iranian Armed Forces, considered fundamental to suppress the internal dissent and project the power of Iran through the financing of militias throughout the Middle East – would also be registered on the list of terrorist organizations. The United States made the same decision in 2019.
“I have often said that Australians want two things: they want deaths in the Middle East to end and don’t want the conflict in the Middle East to be brought here. Iran sought to do precisely that,” Albanese added. “They sought to harm and terrorize the Australian Jews and sow hatred and division in our community.”
Asio Director-General Mike Burgess said the anti-Semitic attacks in Australia were directed by the IRGC and executed through “a tangle in layers” of intermediaries.
“These acts were directed by the IRGC through a series of facilitators abroad who passed to coordinators and eventually delivered tasks to Australians,” he said.
The two attacks on Iran by Asio include an incendiary attack in October 2024 against the Lewis’ Continental Kitchen restaurant near Bondi beach in Sydney, which has been serving Kosher food for over 50 years to the city’s inhabitants.
The second attack was against Synagogue ADASS Israel in Melbourne last December, when two masked attackers were spotted to throw liquid inside the building before setting fire.
Anti -terrorism investigators in the state of Vitória accused two men for the attack on the Synagogue. The most recent detention occurred last week. Police claim that three individuals broke into the service site and deliberately burned it.
Anti -Semitic attacks in Australia have increased from the beginning of Israeli retaliation to Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
“Asio continues to investigate a possible Iranian involvement in several other attacks. But I want to stress that we do not believe the regime is responsible for all acts of anti -Semitism in Australia,” Burgess said.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Tony Burke, classified Iran’s actions as an “extraordinary attack” that reached “a new and totally unacceptable level”.
“Australia was attacked and Australia has been harmed,” Burke reiterated.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong called on Australians to abandon Iran, as the government’s ability to protect them would be “extremely limited.”
“I ask all Australians who may be considering traveling to the will not do it. Our message is: if it is Australian and is in Iran, leave now, if it is safe to do so,” he said.
Although the Iranian government has not yet made any official comment, Iranian media have rushed to reject Camberra’s allegations about the country’s involvement in the attacks. The news agency Fars, near the state, said Australia had made “unfounded allegations,” while Semioficial Agency Tasnim said the Iranian ambassador was being sent off under “false pretexts.”
The Iran Embassy in Camberra did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
