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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
Australia expels Iranian ambassador after spy agency finds Iran
directed antisemitic attacks on its soil
By Hilary Whiteman, CNN
Updated:
11:14 AM EDT, Tue August 26, 2025
Source: CNN
Australia is expelling the Iranian ambassador to Canberra after the
country’s intelligence agency found that Iran was behind at least two
antisemitic attacks on Australian soil.
Australia’s Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had linked
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to two arson attacks
last year, targeting a Jewish-owned restaurant in Sydney and the Adass
Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a
press conference.
“These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression
orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,” Albanese said.
The Iranian ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, and three other diplomatic staff
have been given seven days to leave the country, Albanese said. It’s
the first time Australia has expelled a foreign ambassador since the
second World War.
Australia has also suspended operations at its embassy in Iran for the
safety of its consular officials, and Australians in Iran have been
urged to leave the country.
Albanese said Iran’s IRGC – an elite wing of the Iranian military
considered instrumental in crushing dissent at home and projecting
Iran’s power abroad by funding militia across the Middle East –
would also be listed as a terrorist agency. The US moved to declare it
a terrorist group in 2019.
“I’ve said many times that the Australian people want two things:
They want killing in the Middle East to stop, and they don’t want
conflict in the Middle East brought here. Iran has sought to do just
that,” Albanese added.
“They have sought to harm and terrify Jewish Australians and to sow
hatred and division in our community,” he said.
ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said the antisemitic attacks in
Australia were directed by the IRGC and carried out by “a layer
cake” of intermediaries.
“This was directed by the IRGC through a series of overseas cut-out
facilitators to coordinators that found their way to tasking
Australians,” he said.
The two attacks linked to Iran by ASIO include an arson attack in
October, 2024, on the which had served Sydneysiders kosher food for
more than 50 years.
The second attack was on the when two masked assailants were seen
throwing liquid inside the premises before setting it alight.
Counter-terrorism investigators in Victoria have charged two men over
the Adass synagogue attack. The most recent arrest was made last week.
Police allege three individuals broke into the place of worship and
deliberately set it on fire.
Antisemitic attacks in Australia have surged since the start of
Israel’s retaliation for Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7,
2023.
“ASIO is still investigating possible Iranian involvement in a number
of other attacks. But I want to stress, we do not believe the regime is
responsible for every act of antisemitism in Australia,” Burgess
said.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke called Iran’s actions
an “extraordinary attack” that reached a “new and totally
unacceptable low.”
“Australia was attacked and Australia was harmed,” Burke said.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged Australians to leave Iran as the
government’s ability to protect them would be “extremely
limited.”
“I urge any Australian who might be considering traveling to Iran,
please do not do so. Our message is, if you are an Australian in Iran,
leave now if it is safe to do so,” she said.
In a news conference Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail
Baghaei rejected the accusations, calling them “baseless” and
“ridiculous” while vowing a “reciprocal response.”
Iran’s embassy in Canberra did not immediately respond to CNN’s
request for comment.
This story has been updated with additional information
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