CANBERRA, Australia (Chatnewstv.com) — Australia’s prime minister on Tuesday accused Iran of orchestrating two antisemitic arson attacks on Jewish sites and announced that Canberra is severing diplomatic relations with Tehran in response.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) concluded that Iran directed attacks on Lewis Continental Kitchen, a kosher food company in Sydney, in October 2024 and on the Addas Israel synagogue in Melbourne two months later.
“ASIO has gathered enough credible intelligence to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion,” Albanese told reporters.
“The Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks. Iran has sought to disguise its involvement but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks.”
Tehran did not immediately respond to the accusations.
Albanese said Iran’s ambassador in Canberra, Ahmad Sadeghi, will be expelled, while Australian diplomats posted in Tehran have been withdrawn to a third country. The move marks the first time since World War II that Australia has expelled an ambassador.
An updated government travel advisory urged Australians in Iran to “strongly consider leaving as soon as possible, if it is safe to do so,” warning that foreigners “are at a high risk of arbitrary detention or arrest.”
“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.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said some channels with Tehran would remain open to safeguard Australia’s interests but confirmed that the government will move to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
The Revolutionary Guard has long been accused by Western governments of orchestrating attacks abroad through local militants and proxies, though Iran denies such involvement.
The announcement comes amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in Sydney and Melbourne since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023.
It also follows a tense diplomatic dispute with Israel. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded Albanese a “weak politician who had betrayed Israel” after Canberra recognized a Palestinian state. Australia’s decision is set to be formalized at the United Nations General Assembly in September and has already led to tit-for-tat visa cancellations by both governments.
