Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Iran’s ambassador to Australia will be expelled after intelligence confirmed Tehran’s involvement in two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil. The Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) concluded that Iran directed attacks on the Lewis Continental Kitchen, a kosher food business in Sydney, and the Addas Israel synagogue in Melbourne in late 2024. Australia has also withdrawn its diplomats from Iran to a third country.
Australia To Designate IRGC Terrorist Group After Iran-Linked Attacks Fuel Rising Antisemitism
Albanese said ASIO had gathered credible evidence showing the Iranian government had orchestrated the attacks while attempting to disguise its role. He described the incidents as “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” that aimed to undermine social cohesion. The Prime Minister added that Australia will legislate to formally list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
The attacks occurred amid a surge in antisemitic incidents in Sydney and Melbourne following the Israel-Hamas war that began in 2023. Albanese stressed that foreign interference in Australia’s domestic affairs would not be tolerated. Authorities believe Iran’s actions were designed to deepen division within the Australian community at a time of heightened global tensions.
Australia Expels Iran’s Ambassador Amid Rising Tensions With Israel Over Palestinian Recognition
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has long been suspected of orchestrating attacks abroad through its Quds Force, which Western nations accuse of using local militants to target dissidents and Israeli-linked sites. While Tehran denies direct involvement in such operations, recent arrests in Israel have revealed individuals allegedly recruited or funded by Iran to commit acts of vandalism and surveillance.
The decision to expel Iran’s ambassador comes just a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Albanese of betraying Israel by recognizing a Palestinian state. The recognition, to be formalized at the UN General Assembly in September, has already led to visa cancellations between the two nations. With Iran now facing direct action from Australia, Albanese’s government is under growing diplomatic pressure on multiple fronts.
