On August 26, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced that Canberra would deport Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three other diplomatic officials, requiring them to leave Australia within seven days.
This is the first time since World War II that Australia has deported a foreign ambassador. At the same time, the operation of the Australian Embassy in Tehran will be suspended, all diplomats of this country have withdrawn from Iran.
Ms. Wong said that the Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be added to the list of terrorist organizations by Australia, with the bill awaiting approval. The move comes after Director General of the Australian Intelligence Service Mike Burgess confirmed that Tehran had directed two judges-like attacks in the country.
The incidents include an attack on the Adass Israel jewish parish in Melbourne in December 2024 and a arson at the Lewis Continental Kitchen restaurant in Sydney in October 2024.
They endanger our lives, sow terror in the community and damage our social structures. Iran and its proxies lit flares up and fueled them, Hagess stressed.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also spoke, saying Iran must be held responsible for dangerous and unimaginable acts of aggression, and accusing Tehran of seeking to destroy Australias cohesion.
Since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Australia has seen many cases of anti-Choreistic attacks. The targets include houses, schools, schools and means of transportation. The most recent incident occurred in July, when a man was accused of burning down a jewish parish in Melbourne while there were still followers inside.
Australia's deportation decision is seen as a strong move to demonstrate a stance against activities allegedly directly linked to Iran, while reflecting growing concerns about the security and safety of the domestic jewish community.
