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CANBERRA — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the expulsion of Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi following intelligence findings that the Iranian government directed antisemitic attacks on Jewish sites in Australia. The decision marks the first expulsion of a foreign ambassador by Australia since World War II.
According to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Iran was behind two arson attacks in 2024: one targeting Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, a kosher restaurant in Sydney, and another at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. No injuries were reported, but the incidents were described by Albanese as “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” intended to undermine social cohesion.
In response, Australia has declared Ambassador Sadeghi and three other Iranian officials persona non grata, giving them seven days to leave the country. The government has also suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran and will legislate to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “Iran’s actions are completely unacceptable.” The move comes amid a broader rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia and growing diplomatic tensions between Canberra and Tehran.
