The Australian government has taken the unprecedented step of expelling Iran’s ambassador, accusing Tehran of orchestrating antisemitic arson attacks on its soil. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that credible intelligence from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) confirmed Iran directed at least two attacks in Sydney and Melbourne since the onset of the Israel-Gaza war. In response, Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three officials have been given seven days to leave the country—Australia’s first ejection of a foreign envoy since World War Two.
Prime Minister Albanese condemned the attacks as “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” designed to undermine social cohesion. He specifically linked Iran to a failed plot against a kosher restaurant in Sydney and a fire at Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue, alleging that Iran used local criminals and “cut-outs” to disguise its involvement. In a significant escalation, the government will designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and has already suspended operations at its own embassy in Tehran for safety reasons.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) supported the government’s actions, with president Daniel Aghian stating the arson was a direct attack on Australia’s sovereignty that deliberately terrified the Jewish community. Meanwhile, Israel’s embassy in Australia praised the move, calling Iran’s regime a threat to the entire free world. The allegations have emerged amidst a tense backdrop, including a recent Australian decision to recognize a Palestinian state, which has strained ties with Israel.
Legal proceedings are underway for the individuals charged in the attacks. Police allege three people broke into the Melbourne synagogue to set the fire, while a man with alleged links to a motorcycle gang was arrested for the Sydney restaurant arson. The situation in Australia reflects wider global tensions, with the community reporting a sharp rise in both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents since the war in Gaza began, highlighting the deep domestic impact of international conflicts.
