TRANSCRIPT
Iran's embassy in Canberra has been clearing out - after the Australian government levelled explosive accusations against Iran, saying its Revolutionary Guard Corps ordered two attacks on the Jewish community.
Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi was spotted leaving the embassy, but gave no comment to the media scrum.
Instead, the official response came from Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei.
"This is a new development. My colleagues are investigating the issue and our response. But the accusation made is completely rejected. Technically, the concept called antisemitism has no place in our culture, history or religion. This is a Western and European phenomenon."
Australia's diplomats have already been pulled from Tehran and Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged any Australians still in Iran to leave if it's safe to do so.
"I can tell you, we don't track the number of Australians in another country, you know, you don't have to tell us every time you go, but we think there's between two or four thousand Australians still in Iran."
She brushed off Mr Baqaei's denunciation of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a "weak politician" who is acting to appease Israel.
"We act in Australia's interests. We look to Australia's national interests. That was the basis of the decision taken yesterday."
That decision also includes a commitment to list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
The proposed terror listing has been welcomed across the political spectrum, by Coalition spokesperson for Home Affairs, Andrew Hastie ...
"Of course the Opposition supports these decisions."
... and Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Shoebridge.
"The Greens have been clear for the better part of two years that we would support legislation to allow the listing of the IRGC. The reason we've been doing that is because the Iranian diaspora has been saying to us that they feel unsafe."
The Co-Executive Director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin, says the Jewish community is feeling terrified.
"These attacks that deliberately targeted the Jewish community destroyed a sacred house of worship, caused millions of dollars of damage, and sent terror throughout our community."
At a press conference yesterday ASIO boss Mike Burgess said the IRGC may have been responsible for more antisemitic incidents.
Andrew Hastie was briefed yesterday and says he agrees.
"I think it's absolutely possible if they were willing to fire bomb a synagogue through proxies in Melbourne, I have no doubt whatsoever. They were probably involved in other incidents as well."
Speaking to Channel 7, his Coalition colleague, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Michaelia Cash, lashed the government for not moving to list the IRGC sooner.
"We demanded action two and a half years ago. The Iranian community here in Australia demanded action two and a half years ago, and this government did nothing. So here is a clear message to Mr Albanese: bring on the legislation to list this organisation today. You have the resources to do this, and we will assist you in passing it, just like we told you we would do two and a half years ago."
The Criminal Code will need to be amended to allow for the listing of a state actor, and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was pressed by Sky News on how soon legislation would be introduced.
"Look, the process for the legislation to be drafted has now commenced. We need to make sure that the drafting, you know, you want this to be absolutely correct drafting. You need to make sure you get all of that right. But obviously, we've started the process. We want to get this want to get this legislation changed as soon as we can."
His response to Coalition complaints the government should have acted sooner?
“I think they underestimate the extent to which a new line was crossed. The moment you deal with the fact that you have an attack on Australian soil."
