Calling the incidents “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression,” Albanese said the ambassador and three other diplomats had been given seven days to leave Australia. This marks the first expulsion of a foreign ambassador from the country since World War II.
Australia has also suspended its embassy operations in Iran for the safety of its staff, while Australians in Iran have been strongly urged to leave immediately.
IRGC Declared a Terrorist Organization
Albanese announced that the IRGC, an elite military branch of Iran known for suppressing dissent and supporting regional militias, will now be listed as a terrorist organization in Australia.
ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess explained that the IRGC directed the operations through intermediaries abroad, who eventually tasked Australians with carrying out the attacks.
The first case involved an October 2024 arson at Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, a kosher restaurant in Sydney, which had served the community for over 50 years.
The second was a December 2024 attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, where masked individuals threw flammable liquid inside before setting the building alight. Police in Victoria have already charged two men over the synagogue fire.
Rising Tensions and Warnings
Authorities noted that antisemitic incidents in Australia have increased since Israel’s war with Hamas began in October 2023. While ASIO continues to investigate Iran’s possible role in other incidents, Burgess emphasized that not every act of antisemitism in Australia can be traced back to Tehran.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke described Iran’s actions as an “extraordinary attack” that crossed unacceptable lines, while Foreign Minister Penny Wong warned Australians in Iran that the government’s ability to help them is “extremely limited.”
