The Australian Government has taken the unprecedented step of expelling Iran’s ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, following conclusive intelligence that the Iranian regime orchestrated antisemitic attacks on Australian soil.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the decision during a press briefing, citing a “deeply disturbing conclusion” reached by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). The agency confirmed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed arson attacks targeting Jewish institutions in Sydney and Melbourne in late 2024.
“These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,” said Prime Minister Albanese. “They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community. It is totally unacceptable.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasized the gravity of the move, noting it is the first time since World War II that Australia has expelled a foreign ambassador.
ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess revealed that the IRGC operated through a “layer cake of cut-outs,” using proxies to conceal its involvement. While Iranian diplomats in Canberra were not directly implicated, the chain of command traced back to Tehran.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry welcomed the government’s decisive action, though expressed concern over the targeting of Jewish Australians by a foreign power.