Australia expelled Iran's ambassador and ordered three other Iranian officials to leave after Asio concluded the Iranian government was credibly linked to antisemitic arson attacks on a Melbourne synagogue and a Bondi restaurant last year. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also announced designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, withdrew Australia's ambassador to Iran and suspended embassy operations in Tehran. Iran rejected the accusations, pledged reciprocal diplomatic measures and described the Australian move as politically motivated. Iran's foreign minister called Albanese weak and blamed domestic developments and Australia's stance on Palestine for the decision.
Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (Asio) had credible intelligence to believe that the Iranian government was behind the attacks against the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and Lewis's Continental Kitchen in Bondi in Sydney last year. He also announced that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps would now be listed as a terrorist group. Australia declared Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi persona non grata and ordered him and three other officials to leave the country within seven days.
It also withdrew its own ambassador to Iran and suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, which opened in 1968. On Tuesday, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said in a post on X that Albanese was a weak politician and said the accusation against Iran makes zero sense. Iran is paying the price for the Australian people's support for Palestine. Canberra should know better than to attempt to appease a regime led by war criminals, Iran's top diplomat said, referring to Israeli politicians.
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