Australia has expelled the Iranian ambassador and three other diplomats, accusing Tehran of orchestrating antisemitic arson attacks against Jewish sites in Sydney and Melbourne. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incidents as “dangerous acts of aggression” planned by a foreign state on Australian soil.
The move, announced on Tuesday, marks the first expulsion of an ambassador by Australia since World War II. Canberra also suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, with all Australian diplomats relocated to a third country.
Authorities linked Iran to two attacks in late 2024: a fire at a kosher café in Sydney’s Bondi district in October and an arson attack at the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne that December. No injuries were reported, but Albanese said the goal was “to undermine social cohesion and sow division within our community.”
Australia’s intelligence services concluded after a months-long investigation that the incidents were organized through “a complex network of proxies” tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Canberra will now designate the IRGC a terrorist organization.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed the diplomats have seven days to leave. “This is the first time since the Second World War that Australia has taken such a step. Iran crossed the line,” she said. Wong added that while diplomatic ties will not be entirely severed, the decision was necessary to protect Australian citizens.
The Iranian ambassador in Canberra, Ahmad Sadeghi, was informed of his expulsion just 30 minutes before the public announcement. Australia’s embassy in Tehran, which had operated since 1968, has been closed permanently, and Wong urged Australian citizens still in Iran to leave immediately.
Israel’s embassy in Canberra welcomed the decision, calling it “a strong and important step.” In a statement, it said, “The Iranian regime is not only a threat to Jews or Israel, but to the free world as a whole, including Australia.”
The expulsions come amid a rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia over the past year, including the arson of a kindergarten and widespread vandalism with swastikas and hate slogans. While not all cases have been directly tied to Iran, authorities say they are investigating possible connections.
Interior Minister Tony Burke stressed that even without casualties, the impact on the Jewish community and the country was severe. “Australia was attacked, and Australia was hurt,” he said.
