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Iran directed at least two attacks against Australia’s Jewish community, the domestic spy agency has determined, prompting the Albanese government to expel Tehran’s ambassador to Canberra from Australia.
The prime minister announced on Tuesday that the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (Asio) had “credible intelligence” to determine the Iranian government was behind the attacks against the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne and Lewis’ Continental Kitchen in Bondi in Sydney.
The Asio director-general, Mike Burgess, said the attacks had been ordered by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC], working through a “layer cake of cut-outs” – paid intermediaries acting in Australia.
The IRCG will be listed as a terrorist organisation, with new laws set to be considered by federal parliament.
Iran’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, has been designated “persona non grata” by the Australian government and Australia’s embassy in Tehran will suspend operations. Iranian diplomats posted to Australia were not involved in the attacks, Burgess said.
Australia’s diplomats posted to Iran were moved to a third country before the announcement was made.
“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.”
Burgess said his agency did not believe Iran was involved in every act of antisemitism in Australia but was investigating other incidents for possible Iranian government involvement.
“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.
“This was directed by the IRGC through a series of overseas cut-outs, facilitators, to coordinators that found their way to tasking Australians.”
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said Iran’s actions warranted the first removal of a foreign ambassador to Canberra since the post-war period.
“That is why we have declared Iran’s ambassador to Australia persona non grata, as well as three other Iranian officials, and they will have seven days to leave the country,” Wong said.
“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.”
