Australia has expelled Iran’s ambassador after intelligence findings linked Tehran to a series of antisemitic arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the decision on Tuesday, describing the findings as “deeply troubling” and warning that the attacks were an assault on Australia’s social harmony.
“This was not just vandalism. These were dangerous, state-sponsored operations carried out on Australian soil,” Albanese told reporters. “Their purpose was to divide our communities and spread fear.”
Attacks on Jewish sites
According to Australian intelligence, Iran orchestrated the October 2024 torching of a kosher café in Sydney’s Bondi neighbourhood and a December 2024 arson attack targeting the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.
Although no one was injured, authorities say both incidents were intended to intimidate Australia’s Jewish community.
“This is an extraordinary violation of trust between nations,” Albanese said.
Diplomatic fallout
In response, Canberra declared Iranian envoy Ahmad Sadeghi and three other officials persona non grata, giving them seven days to leave the country.
Australia has also withdrawn its own ambassador from Tehran and temporarily suspended embassy operations, marking the first expulsion of a foreign ambassador by Australia since World War II.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasised the gravity of the decision, saying, “This is unprecedented in the post-war era. But the safety of Australians must come first.”
Growing measures against Iran
The government further revealed plans to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) chief Michael Burgess said his agency’s “painstaking investigation” had uncovered clear links between the IRGC and the antisemitic arson attacks.
“Our assessment is that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was not only involved in at least two incidents, but likely directed additional attempts against Jewish interests in Australia,” Burgess said.
Travel warnings, community concerns
Wong also reiterated a strong warning against travel to Iran, stressing that consular support for Australians in the country is now “extremely limited.”
“I understand many Australians have family ties to Iran, but my advice remains the same: do not travel. If you are already there, please leave while it is safe to do so,” she urged.
Australian diplomats previously based in Tehran are now safe in a third country, Albanese confirmed.
The expulsion signals a sharp escalation in Australia-Iran relations, with the government vowing to resist what it calls Tehran’s “web of proxies” seeking to spread division abroad.