Australia Expels Iranian Ambassador Over State-Directed Antisemitic Attacks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Australia has expelled Iran’s ambassador after its domestic spy agency concluded that Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) orchestrated anti-Semitic attacks on Australian soil, including an arson attempt at a Melbourne synagogue.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced at a press conference on Tuesday that the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization (ASIO) had gathered “credible intelligence” linking Iran to two separate incidents — the attempted firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne and an attack on Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, a Jewish-owned business in Sydney’s Bondi district.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess told a press conference the IRGC had coordinated the attacks through a network of paid intermediaries operating inside Australia, describing the operation as a “layer cake of cut-outs.” He confirmed that while Iranian diplomats in Canberra were not directly involved, the chain of command led back to Tehran.

“These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,” Albanese said. “They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community. It is totally unacceptable, and the Australian government is taking strong and decisive action in response.”

As part of the measures, Iran’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, has been declared persona non grata and given seven days to leave. Canberra will also suspend its embassy operations in Tehran, with Australian diplomats relocated to a third country ahead of the announcement.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong underscored the unprecedented nature of the move, noting it was the first expulsion of a foreign ambassador from Canberra since the post-World War II period. Alongside the ambassador, three other Iranian officials will also be forced to leave.

“This is the first time in the post-war period that Australia has expelled an ambassador, and we have made this decision because Iran’s actions are completely unacceptable,” Wong said.

The Albanese government also confirmed that it will introduce legislation to formally designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, marking a significant escalation in Australia’s stance toward Tehran.

Burgess emphasized that while not every anti-Semitic act in Australia can be traced to Iran, further investigations are ongoing.

“It goes without saying that Iran’s actions are unacceptable. They put lives at risk, they terrified the community, and they tore at our social fabric. Iran and its proxies lit the matches and fanned the flames,” he said.

International Reaction and IRGC’s Global Reach

The move by Canberra is likely to resonate internationally, particularly among Western allies already concerned about Iran’s activities abroad. The United States, Canada, and several European countries have long accused Tehran of directing or financing attacks through the IRGC and its Quds Force, which Washington designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 2019.

The IRGC has been accused of being implicated in plots spanning multiple continents — from attempted assassinations of dissidents in Europe, to support for Hezbollah and other proxy groups in the Middle East, and cyber operations targeting Western infrastructure. Allegedly, expanding influence has allowed Tehran to extend its reach well beyond the Middle East, often using local networks or criminal groups as intermediaries.

Canberra’s decision to expel Tehran’s envoy comes amid growing global scrutiny of Iranian state-sponsored aggression. In recent months, both Germany and the United Kingdom have accused Iranian operatives of planning or carrying out attacks on European soil. The European Parliament has also debated listing the IRGC as a terrorist organization, although no EU-wide consensus has been reached.

Australia’s unprecedented step places it firmly in line with Washington’s harder approach to Tehran, reflecting rising alarm over foreign-directed extremism and the targeting of Jewish communities abroad.

For Australia’s Jewish community — one of the country’s oldest religious minorities — the revelations have deepened concerns about safety amid a global rise in anti-Semitic incidents linked to tensions in the Middle East.

Australia–Iran Relations

Australia and Iran established diplomatic relations in 1968, maintaining embassies in each other’s capitals for decades despite shifting political landscapes. Canberra’s ties with Tehran have historically oscillated between cautious engagement and sharp criticism, particularly over human rights, nuclear proliferation, and regional security.

Relations reached a low point after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Iran’s clerical regime consolidated power, and hostility with Western nations deepened. Australia nonetheless maintained diplomatic channels, partly due to trade ties and cooperation on consular matters, including the protection of dual nationals.

In the 2000s, Australia aligned with international sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program, though relations warmed briefly following the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA). That thaw was short-lived: in recent years, Australia has condemned Tehran’s repression of protests, its ballistic missile program, and its "destabilizing" role in the Middle East.

The expulsion of Iran’s ambassador marks the most severe diplomatic break in bilateral relations to date, effectively freezing high-level engagement. The move signals that Canberra is prepared to sacrifice remaining diplomatic ties to protect national security and demonstrate solidarity with international partners confronting what they call "Iranian state-sponsored aggression."

Domestic Politics and Regional Security Implications

Domestically, the expulsion strengthens the Albanese government’s national security credentials at a time when concerns over foreign interference and extremism are high on the public agenda. By acting decisively, the government positions itself as both responsive to threats against Australia’s Jewish community and aligned with broader Western values of protecting minority groups from intimidation.

Politically, the move also reduces space for opposition criticism on national security, as both major parties are expected to back the designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. However, it may complicate future engagement with Iran on regional issues, such as nuclear non-proliferation and humanitarian affairs.

Regionally, the decision highlights Australia’s growing willingness to take strong positions against hostile state actors, reflecting its broader alignment with the United States and like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific.

As Canberra seeks to strengthen its role in regional security through arrangements like AUKUS and expanded cooperation with Japan and India, its tougher stance against Iran sends a signal that Australia is committed to confronting global threats to stability — even those originating far from its shores.

For Tehran, the rupture underscores its increasing isolation, while for Canberra, it marks a rare but calculated gamble: cutting diplomatic ties in favor of a principled stand against foreign-directed extremism on Australian soil.