Australia Expels Iranian Ambassador Over Attacks
Australia Expels Iranian Ambassador Over Antisemitic Attacks Linked to Tehran
CANBERRA – Australia has expelled Iran’s ambassador in a move not seen since World War II, after intelligence agencies concluded that Tehran was behind two antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that Iranian authorities directed a firebombing at the Lewis Continental Cafe, a kosher café in Sydney’s Bondi suburb in October 2024, and an arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne two months later.
While no one was injured, Albanese condemned the incidents as “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil.” He added, “These were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community. It is totally unacceptable.”
As a result, Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three other diplomats have been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the country within seven days. Australia has also withdrawn its own ambassador from Tehran and suspended embassy operations there. Albanese confirmed that Australian diplomats are now safe in a third country.
The government will also introduce legislation to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong stressed the gravity of the move, noting it was the first time in the post-war era that Australia had expelled an ambassador. “We will maintain limited diplomatic channels to advance Australia’s interests, but the safety of Australians remains our priority,” she said.
Wong urged Australians with family ties to Iran to avoid travel, warning that consular support is now “extremely limited.” She added, “If you are an Australian in Iran, leave now if it is safe to do so.”
Michael Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), said investigators uncovered clear links between the IRGC and the attacks. The Guard allegedly used a “web of proxies” to disguise its role, with evidence suggesting it may have directed more attacks on Jewish interests in Australia.
Burgess clarified that Iran’s embassy in Canberra and its diplomats were not directly involved, but said investigations into other possible connections are ongoing.
Australia first established an embassy in Tehran in 1968, but relations have grown increasingly strained in recent years.
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