Canberra: Australia has expelled Iran’s ambassador and three senior diplomats after intelligence agencies concluded that Tehran orchestrated two antisemitic firebombing attacks on Australian soil. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the findings as evidence of “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” designed to destabilize Australian society.
The attacks, carried out in late 2024, targeted the Lewis Continental Kitchen, a Jewish-owned restaurant in Sydney, and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. While no casualties were reported, both incidents caused significant property damage and heightened concerns about the safety of Jewish communities in the country.
Albanese confirmed that intelligence provided by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) directly implicated Iran in planning and directing the assaults. In response, Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three of his colleagues have been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave Australia within seven days. The government has also suspended the operation of its embassy in Tehran and relocated its diplomatic staff to a third country.
In addition to the expulsions, Australia announced its intention to formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Legislation to this effect is expected to be introduced in parliament soon, bringing Australia in line with allies such as the United States and Canada that have already taken similar steps.
The Israeli embassy in Canberra welcomed the Australian government’s move, stating that Iran’s actions represented not only a threat to Jewish communities but also to democratic societies worldwide. Analysts noted that this was the most severe diplomatic action taken by Australia against a foreign power since the Second World War.
The expulsions come amid a documented rise in antisemitic incidents across Australia following the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023. In December 2024, the historic Adass Israel Synagogue, built by Holocaust survivors, was firebombed, causing widespread damage. Police later classified the attack as terrorism-related. In a separate incident this July, a man was charged for attempting to set fire to another Melbourne synagogue while worshippers were present.
The government has also received recommendations from Special Envoy Jillian Segal to cut public funding for universities that fail to curb antisemitic incidents and to screen immigrants more rigorously. Deportation of non-citizens involved in hate crimes is also under consideration.
The Albanese government’s decision marks a turning point in Australia’s diplomatic posture toward Iran. By linking Tehran directly to acts of violence in Sydney and Melbourne, Canberra has not only heightened tensions with the Islamic Republic but also signaled a firm commitment to protect its communities from foreign-directed extremism.