Key Points
- Australia has expelled an ambassador for the first time since World War Two.
- Iran's revolutionary guard will be listed as a terrorist organisation.
- ASIO says it's likely Iran directed further attacks against the Jewish community as well.
The Australian government has expelled the Iranian ambassador and will list a branch of Iran's military as a terrorist group after declaring that Iran directed two antisemitic attacks in Australia, including the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne last December.
Iran has vowed to take reciprocal action, with Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei saying "the accusation that has been made is absolutely rejected".
"Any inappropriate and unjustified action on a diplomatic level will have a reciprocal reaction," Baqaei added during a weekly press conference.
Baqaei said the measures appeared to be "influenced by internal developments" in Australia, including widespread protests against Israel's war in Gaza.
Officials are currently reviewing the issue and determining the appropriate response, Baqaei said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Australian government's decision on Tuesday, saying the domestic spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), had gathered enough credible intelligence to reach the "deeply disturbing conclusion" that the Iranian government directed at least two attacks against the Jewish community.
"Iran has sought to disguise its involvement, but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks on the Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney on 20 October last year, and the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne," he told reporters in Canberra.
IRGC to be listed as a terrorist organisation
Albanese said ASIO assessed it's likely Iran directed further attacks as well.
"These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil. They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community," he said.
He said that in response, the government had declared Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sagedhi "persona non grata" and ordered him and three other officials to leave the country within seven days.
The government would legislate to list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, Albanese added.
The expulsion is the first such ejection of an ambassador by Australia since World War Two.
Australia has also suspended operations in its embassy in Tehran, with all diplomats now moved to a third country.
Australians in Iran warned to leave the country
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the diplomats were moved for their safety, and advised Australians in Iran to leave the country.
"I know many Australians have family connections in Iran, but I urge any Australian who may be considering travelling to Iran, please do not do so," she said.
"If you're an Australian in Iran, leave now if it is safe to do so."
Albanese said: "The actions of my government send a clear message, a message to all Australians: we stand against antisemitism, and we stand against violence. And a message to nations like Iran who seek to interfere in our country, that your aggression will not be tolerated."
Iran used 'complex web of proxies'
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said the group's "painstaking" investigations uncovered links between the alleged crimes and commanders in the IRGC.
Burgess said there was "a layer cake of cut-outs" between the IRGC and the alleged perpetrators conducting crimes.
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said investigations uncovered links between the alleged crimes and commanders in the IRGC. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
He said while ASIO was still investigating possible Iranian involvement in a number of other attacks, Burgess stressed it did not believe the regime was responsible "for every act of antisemitism in Australia".
"This tore at our social fabric. It was aimed at messing with social cohesion in Australia," he said.
However, Burgess said no one at the Iranian embassy in Australia was involved in the attacks, saying they were directed purely by the IRGC.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said it was "an unprecedented attack on our society" and "aimed at creating fear".
"There's antisemitism in Australia. It's real, it's debilitating, yet this attack was driven by antisemitism that originated in Iran; that said, nothing changes the fact that it was an anti-Semitic attack and nothing changes the fact the impact is identical," he said.
Burke warned against "blame to Australians of Iranian heritage" over the developments.
Iranian and Jewish communities welcome ambassador's expulsion
In an exclusive interview with SBS Persian last year, the Iranian ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, denied foreign interference was being carried out in Australia by the Iranian government.
"No, foreign interference from Iran here is not relevant. By no means, under no circumstances," he said.
AUSIRAN, an independent group of Iranian-Australians critical of the Iranian regime, said the listing of the IRGC should be conducted "without delay".
"We offer our full support to ensure that the IRGC's networks of aggression are dismantled, and that Australians of all backgrounds are protected from foreign-sponsored threats."
The fire destroyed two of Adass Israel synagogue's buildings, with two people escaping with their lives. Source: AAP / Yumi Rosenbaum
Jewish community 'owed apology'
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies said the revelations were "chilling and deeply concerning" and said it looked forward to learning more about the "full extent of Iran's malign activities".
"Those who sought to downplay the threat against the Jewish community or dismiss the campaign of terror targeting our community as a criminal con-job or hoax owe the Jewish community an apology," president David Ossip said in a statement.
Renovations inside Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney's Bondi after it was firebombed in October last year. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi
"The acts themselves were horrific but now to have confirmation of something that many of us suspected there was a foreign interference element to this ... it's terrifying," co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said.
— With additional reporting by Reuters and Agence France-Presse
