Australia accuses Iran of orchestrating anti-Jewish attacks, expels ambassador

Australia announced on Tuesday that it will expel Iran’s ambassador, accusing Tehran of orchestrating antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne last year.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attacks as “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” carried out at the direction of a foreign power.

Although no injuries were reported, security agencies believed that the attacks targeted Jewish sites, including Sydney’s Lewis Continental Kitchen on October 20 and Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue on December 6.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) chief Mike Burgess said intelligence pointed to Iranian involvement and warned that further attempts could not be ruled out.

“Iran sought to conceal its hand, but ASIO assesses it was responsible for these actions,” he said.

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Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three other Iranian diplomats have been ordered to leave the country within a week. Tehran has yet to respond to the allegations.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said this marks the first expulsion of an ambassador from Australia since World War II. She added that while some diplomatic channels would remain open, Canberra had temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran to protect staff.

Wong also advised Australians to avoid travel to Iran and urged citizens currently there to return home if it is safe to do so.

Albanese further announced that the government intends to formally classify Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.