Australia says Iran behind two antisemitic attacks, to expel envoy

Australia said on Tuesday (August 26) it would expel Iran's ambassador to Canberra, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Tehran of executing two antisemitic attacks in the key cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three Iranian officials had seven days to leave, in Australia's first expulsion of an envoy since World War Two.

"Iran's actions are completely unacceptable," she told the briefing.

Australia's security agency had gathered credible intelligence that the Iranian government had directed at least two attacks, Albanese told a news conference.

"Iran has sought to disguise its involvement, but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks on the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney on October 20 last year, and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on December 6."

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation said it was likely that Iran had directed further attacks, he added.

"These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil," Albanese said. "They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community."

Australia has suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran and all its diplomats were safe in a third country, Albanese said, adding that his government would designate Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

However, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Abbas Araghchi said that Australia's decision against mutal relations is unfluenced by internal Australian affairs.

Meanwhile, Israel's embassy in Australia welcomed the action against its major rival Iran.

"Iran's regime is not only a threat to Jews or Israel, it endangers the entire free world, including Australia," it said in a statement on X.

Since the Israel-Gaza war began in October 2023, Australian homes, schools, synagogues and vehicles have been targeted in antisemitic vandalism and arson.

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