Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused Iran of organising two antisemitic attacks in Australia.
Mr Albanese said the Australian security intelligence organisation (ASIO) found that the Iranian government had directed arson attacks on a kosher food company in Sydney and on a Melbourne synagogue in October and December last year.
“Iran has sought to disguise its involvement, but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks,” Mr Albanese said on Tuesday.
There has been a large increase in antisemitic incidents in Sydney and Melbourne since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023.
Mr Albanese called the conclusion that Iran was behind “at least two” of these attacks “deeply disturbing”.
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said no Iranian diplomats in Australia were involved, adding that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard directed the attacks “through a series of overseas cut-out facilitators to coordinators that found their way to tasking Australians”.
“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. It is totally unacceptable,” Mr Albanese said.
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In response, Australia said it was severing diplomatic relations with Tehran, with the prime minister telling Iran’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, that he would be expelled.
Mr Albanese added that Australia withdrew Australian diplomats posted to Iran to a third country. This is the first time Australia has expelled an ambassador since World War II, according to Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
Iran’s government had no immediate reaction to Mr Albanese’s announcement.
The Australian government alerted Australians in Iran that its embassy in the country was closed and urged them to “strongly consider leaving as soon as possible”.
It said foreigners in Iran “are at a high risk of arbitrary detention or arrest”. Iran is known to detain Westerners or those with ties abroad to use as bargaining chips in negotiations.
Australia also upgraded its warning to travellers to the highest level, urging them not to travel to Iran.
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Mr Albanese said Australia will pass a law to list the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation.
The paramilitary group has long been accused of carrying out attacks abroad, but it broadly denies any involvement. Western nations have previously accused the Guard’s expeditionary arm of using local militants and criminals to target dissidents and Israelis abroad.
Israel has arrested several people since the start of the war with Hamas on charges that they had been paid or encouraged by Iran to carry out vandalism and monitor potential targets in Israel.
